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LIFE  OF  ELIZA  S.  M.  QUINCY 


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Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1861,  by 
JOHN  WILSON  AND  SON, 

In  the  Clerk’s  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


1?  OSTON: 

PRINTED  BY  JOHN  WILSON  AND  SON, 
22,  School  Street. 

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MEMOIR. 


PART  I. 


In  compliance  with  the  request  of  my  children,  I have 
written  from  memory,  and  from  the  recollections  of  my 
mother,  now  residing  in  our  family,  and  eighty-three  years 
of  age,  the  following  narrative  of  some  events  in  the  lives 
of  my  maternal  ancestors  and  of  my  own  early  life. 

ELIZA  SUSAN  MORTON  QUINCY. 

QUINCY,  MASSACHUSETTS, 

July  12,  1821. 


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Ernest 


NOTE. 


In  1878,  the  Editor  accidentally  received  a copy  of  a letter  froi 
John  Kemper,  the  youngest  brother  of  Mrs.  Morton  (see  pag 
259),  to  Peter  H.  Kemper  of  Virginia,  dated  at  Hudson,  Ne  ’ 
York,  in  which  he  states  that  “ his  father,  Jacob  Kemper,  w; 
born  at  Bacharach,  a fortified  town  on  the  Rhine,  of  which  h 
father,  Colonel  Kemper,  was  the  military  commander  or  got  j 
ernor,  the  office  being  hereditary  in  the  male  line  of  the  family. 1 
He  died  in  1712,  having  been  a Colonel  in  the  service  of  Frederic 
William  the  Great  Elector,  and  of  bis  son  Frederick  the  First  < 
Prussia;  and,  as  all  the  officers  in  these  armies  were  noblemen!  h| 
must  have  been  a man  of  rank.  Bacharach  is  situated  a mil 
above  Kaub.  From  the  time  of  the  Romans,  it  has  been  celt 
brated  for  its  wines,  and  derives  its  name  from  an  altar  to  Bacchi 
in  the  Rhine,  visible  at  low  water.  It  was  fortified  with  walls  an 
twelve  towers.  On  a huge  cone  of  rock  above  it  stood  the  Castl 
of  Stahleck,  connected  with  Bacharach  by  two  fortified  walls,  an . 
for  centuries  the  residence  of  the  family  of  the  Hohenstauffen 
and  of  the  Counts  Palatine.  It  was  besieged,  taken,  and  rebui 
eight  times,  and  blown  up  and  destroyed  by  the  French  in  1681 
Jacob  Kemper  sold  his  hereditary  rights  in  the  commission  ( 
Governor  of  Bacharach  for  600  rix-dollars,  and  with  that  mone 
came  to  America. 


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CHAPTER  I. 


IVfY  maternal  grandfather,  Jacob  Kemper,  was  born  in  Germany, 
in  the  city  of  Caub,  on  the  river  Rhine,  A.D.  1706.  His  father, 
an  officer  in  the  Prince  Palatine’s  army,  was  so  severely  wounded, 
that  be  was  obliged  to  retire  upon  a pension.  He  survived  many 
years,  and  died,  after  a lingering  illness,  in  his  easy-chair,  — a cir- 
cumstance to  which  his  children  used  often  to  advert  as  a singular 
termination  of  the  life  of  a military  man  who  had  received  fourteen 
wounds  in  battle.  His  pension  was  continued,  and  his  widow  was 
thus  enabled  to  give  each  of  her  three  sons  a liberal  education.  The 
eldest,  a physician,  went  to  the  East  Indies  ; returned,  after  many 
years,  a man  of  large  property ; and  settled  in  Holland.  The  profes- 
sion of  the  second  son  is  not  remembered. 

Jacob  Kemper,  the  youngest  son,  was  six  years  of  age  when  his 
father  died.  He  refused  to  finish  his  studies  at  the  university,  for 
which  he  was  prepared  ; and  insisted  upon  entering  on  some  active 
employment.  His  mother  yielded  to  his  wishes,  and  purchased  a 
vessel  for  him  ; as  master  of  which,  he  took  freight  on  his  own 
account  at  the  cities  on  the  Rhine.  In  1736,  he  married  Maria 
Regina  Ernest,  of  Manheim.  Her  father  was  a minister  of  the  Re- 
formed Church  in  that  city.  Her  mother,  a woman  of  rank  and 
fortune,  had  offended  her  parents  by  her  marriage  with  Mr.  Ernest, 
who  had  been  her  tutor.  They  never  forgave  him ; hut,  once  a year, 


6 


sent  for  their  daughter  and  her  children  to  visit  them  at  their  splendid 
mansion  : and,  when  her  father  died,  his  grandchildren  in  America 
shared  in  her  portion  of  his  property.  In  1737,  Mrs.  Kemper  accom- 
panied her  husband  to  Coblentz,  where  her  first  child  was  born. 
She  received  great  kindness  from  the  ladies  of  that  city  ; and  one  of 
the  principal  stood  godmother  to  the  infant,  and  named  it,  after  her- 
self, Anna  Gertrude.  As  Coblentz  was  a Roman-Catholic  city,  Mrs. 
Kemper  was  not  allowed  to  depart  until  her  child  was  baptized  with 
the  ceremonies  of  that  church.  Her  second  daughter,  Maria  Sophia, 
my  mother,  was  born  at  Kaub  in  1739,  and  named  after  her  two 
grandmothers,  Mrs.  Ernest  and  Mrs.  Kemper. 

In  1741,  a company  of  men  called  Newlanaers  were  employed  by 
ship-owners  in  Holland  to  persuade  the  Germans  to  emigrate  to  Ame- 
rica, which  they  described  as  a perfect  Arcadia,  — a land  flowing  with 
milk  and  honey,  and  enriched  with  mines  of  gold  and  silver.  They 
thus  induced  persons  well  situated  in  their  native  country  to  rend 
asunder  the  ties  of  kindred  and  affection,  and  to  go  three  thousand 
miles  across  an  ocean  to  an  unknown  land,  where  the  language,  habits, 
and  customs  were  entirely  foreign  to  their  own.  Mr.  Kemper  was  so 
infatuated  by  these  representations,  that,  contrary  to  the  entreaties 
of  his  mother  and  friends,  he  converted  all  his  possessions  into  money, 
and  prepared  for  his  voyage. 

From  the  number  and  value  of  the  articles  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kemper 
brought  with  them,  they  must  have  been  people  of  property  and 
cultivation  in  their  own  country.  They  had  a folio  Bible  in  the 
German  language,  and  many  books,  fine  editions  for  that  day,  hand- 
somely bound,  and  ornamented  with  prints,  which  I remember  to 
have  often  seen  and  looked  over.  They  also  brought  trunks  and 
chests  of  household  linen  and  clothing ; many  articles  of  furniture, 
which  I also  recollect ; and  stores  of  tapes,  needles,  pins,  thread, 
silk,  &c. ; which  were  not  exhausted  for  six  or  eight  years,  and  which 
marked  great  care,  foresight,  and  ability  to  spend  on  their  outfit. 


7 


Mr.  Kemper’s  mother  — when  she  found  he  was  determined  to 
leave  her,  and  to  take  his  wife,  to  whom  she  was  attached  as  to  a 
daughter,  with  their  two  children,  one  born  and  both  reared  in  her 
house  — supplied  them  with  every  accommodation  in  her  power. 
Her  only  daughter  was  married,  and  settled  at  a distance.  She  was 
left  alone,  and  never  ceased  to  grieve  for  the  loss  of  her  children, 
like  that  of  death  to  her.  They  heard  from  her  occasionally ; but,  in 
those  times,  communication  with  Europe  was  rare  and  difficult. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kemper  embarked  from  Amsterdam  in  1741.  Their 
voyage  was  lengthened  by  touching  at  a port  in  England,  and  was 
not  performed  under  many  months.  During  the  passage,  my  mother 
was  seized  with  symptoms  of  the  small-pox ; and  the  captain,  who  had 
never  had  that  disease,  then  so  dreaded  and  often  so  fatal,  though  a 
humane  man,  at  first  insisted  that  she  should  be  immediately  thrown 
overboard.  He  said,  that,  if  he  died,  the  passengers  would  be  left  in 
the  midst  of  the  ocean,  with  no  one  capable  of  commanding  the  ship, 
and  of  conducting  them  to  the  land  to  which  they  were  destined ; and 
what  was  the  value  of  the  life  of  a child  of  two  years  old,  compared 
with  those  of  all  on  board  ? But  the  parents  successfully  combated 
these  arguments.  Mrs.  Kemper  shut  herself  up  with  her  child  in  her 
cabin:  the  disease  proved  of  a mild  type,  and  did  not  affect  another 
person  on  board.  The  vessel  was  large,  and  well  fitted  up  for  the 
better  class  of  passengers.  They  consisted  chiefly  of  young  married 
people,  with  their  children.  Each  family  had  separate  accommoda- 
tions, and  were  supplied  from  their  own  sea-stores. 

Mrs.  Kemper  was  accompanied  by  her  younger  sister,  Christina 
Ernest.  Her  only  brother,  Matthew  Ernest,  had  many  years  previous 
left  Manheim,  without  the  knowledge  of  his  parents.  After  a long 
time,  he  wrote  word  that  he  had  gone  to  America,  had  married  a 
widow  of  fortune,  and  was  established  as  a merchant  at  a place  called 
Rhinebeck,  from  the  settlers  having  come  from  the  river  Rhine,  and 
from  the  name  of  the  proprietor  Beekman. 


8 


To  Mr.  Ernest  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kemper  wished  to  direct  their  steps ; 
but  they  were  landed  at  Philadelphia,  two  hundred  miles  from  his  resi- 
dence,— ignorant  of  the  language,  of  the  country,  and  of  every  thing 
which  might  help  them  on  their  way.  A German  agent  induced  Mr. 
Kemper  to  exchange  his  gold  and  silver  for  depreciated  paper  money, 
which  he  represented  as  of  equal  value,  and  more  convenient,  as  it 
was  the  currency  of  the  country.  When  Mr.  Kemper  reached  New 
Brunswick,  he  met  with  an  honest  German  resident,  — whose  name 
was  Dillidine,  — to  whom  he  exhibited  his  funds,  and  who  told  him 
he  had  been  defrauded  by  a sharper.  His  journey  of  eighty  miles 
from  Philadelphia  had  exceeded  all  his  other  expenses  since  he  left 
Germany,  from  the  use  of  the  dejDreciated  paper  money.  From 
Brunswick  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kemper  took  passage  in  a sloop  to  New 
York,  and  thence  up  the  Hudson  to  Rhinebeck,  where  they  were 
received  with  great  kindness  by  their  brother,  and  passed  the  ensu- 
ing winter  in  his  hospitable  abode. 

In  the  spring  of  1742,  Mr.  Ernest  advised  Mr.  Kemper  to  take  the 
command  of  a sloop  which  he  owned,  or  to  buy  one  for  himself,  and 
ply  up  and  down  the  Hudson,  between  Rhinebeck  and  New  York,  — a 
profitable  business,  in  which  he  had  been  employed  in  Germany.  His 
family  could  then  remain  near  Mr.  Ernest,  and  have  the  advantage  of  a 
church  and  school  in  their  own  language.  But  by  a singular  fatality, 
as  it  appears  to  us,  Mr.  Kemper  insisted  on  going  back  in  the  country, 
on  the  “New-land”  he  had  heard  so  much  of,  to  become  a farmer. 
He  had  left  Germany  with  this  project,  and  nothing  could  divert  him 
from  it  ; and  his  ignorance  of  the  English  tongue  probably  made 
him  diffident  of  engaging  in  business  carried  on  in  that  language. 
Finding  Mr.  Kemper  obstinately  bent  upon  his  purpose,  Mr.  Ernest 
3Tielded,  and  purchased  for  him  a farm  on  “the  patent”  of  Robert  R. 
Livingston,  on  a lease  of  three  lives,  in  that  part  of  Dutchess  County, 
now  the  town  of  Beekman,  — sixty  miles  below  Rhinebeck,  and 
twenty  from  the  Hudson.  On  this  farm  there  was  a small  house 


9 


and  barn,  and  land  cleared  for  a garden ; and  the  rest  was  as  wild  and 
uncultivated  as  could  be  desired : and  there  this  family,  brought  up 
in  cities  and  used  to  all  the  accommodations  of  life,  were  set  down  in 
a wilderness,  ignorant  of  the  best  modes  of  clearing  and  cultivating 
the  ground,  and  of  obtaining  daily  comforts.  Christina  Ernest  re- 
mained with  her  brother,  who  continued  to  assist  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kemper 
by  every  means  in  his  power.  He  visited  them  several  times  a year, 
and  sent  or  brought  them  coffee,  tea,  sugar,  &c.,  sixty  miles  over 
roads  almost  impassable,  — equal  to  hundreds  at  the  present  day.  Mr. 
Ernest  always  travelled  on  horseback  ; and  my  mother  remembers 
how  his  saddle-bags  used  to  be  loaded  for  the  family,  and  the  joy  his 
arrival  occasioned. 

In  this  wild  country  an  incident  happened  to  my  mother,  which  she 
has  often  related.  When  a child  of  six  years  of  age,  she  was  accus- 
tomed to  eat  her  bowl  of  rice  and  milk,  after  dinner,  seated  on  the  sill 
of  the  house-door;  and  was  heard  to  speak  of  “ die  schone  Schlange/’* 
who  came  and  ate  her  rice.  Her  mother  watched  to  see  what  these 
words  meant ; and,  to  her  surprise  and  consternation,  saw  a large 
rattlesnake,  with  its  head  in  the  bowl,  eating  with  the  child,  who, 
when  her  visitor  took  more  than  its  share,  tapped  it  on  the  head  with 
her  spoon.  It  went  quietly  away  when  the  meal  Avas  finished.  But 
this  intimacy  was  too  dangerous  to  be  allowed,  and  Mr.  Kemper  killed 
the  snake.  The  rattle,  a very  large  one,  with  eleven  or  twelve  rings, 
was  preserved  for  some  years,  but  was  lost  when  the  family  removed 
from  the  Livingston  Patent. f 

Soon  after  this  occurrence,  the  women  and  children  were  secured 
in  a stockade  from  an  alarm  from  the  Indians,  which  happily  proved 
groundless.  The  next  year,  my  mother  broke  her  arm  in  jumping 


* “ The  be/mtiful  snake.” 

t This  incident  is  the  origin  of  an  anecdote  related  with  some  variations  by  Priscilla  Wake- 
field, in  a work  entitled  “Instinct  Displayed.”  It  has  also  been  made  the  subject  of  an  engraving 
executed  in  Germany,  entitled  “ Das  Kind  mit  der  Milch  und  der  Schlange.” 

2 


10 


from  a cliest  in  play.  A young-  neighbor,  Zacharias  Flagler,  went  on 
horseback  twenty  miles  for  the  nearest  surgeon.  He  did  not  arrive 
for  twenty-four  hours,  and  was  obliged  to  wait  a day  and  night  to 
reduce  the  arm  before  he  could  set  it.  Philip  Solomon  Flagler,  the 
father  of  the  young  man  just  mentioned,  Mr.  Kemper’s  nearest  neigh- 
bor, instructed  him  in  the  management  of  his  farm.  His  kindness 
and  that  of  Mr.  Brill  and  Mr.  Wiltzie  was  gratefully  acknowledged. 
Mr.  Kemper  cleared  many  acres  of  land  ; planted  an  orchard  ; raised 
wheat,  corn,  Ac. ; owned  cattle  and  other  stock  ; and  his  situation 
became  more  eligible.  But  cares  of  another  kind  began  to  press 
upon  him.  His  children,  three  daughters  and  two  sons,  were  growing 
up  without  schools.  Mrs.  Kemper  taught  them  the  Catechism  and 
Psalms,  and  to  read  the  Bible  ; and  continued  an  observance  of  the 
sabbath  by  regular  devotional  exercises,  as  they  were  twenty  miles 
from  the  nearest  church. 

In  1748,  Christina  Ernest  married  Mr.  Wetzel,  and  went  to  reside 
in  New  York  ; and  Mr.  Ernest  also  removed  to  that  city.  These 
changes  increased  Mrs.  Kemper’s  desire  to  leave  their  secluded  situa- 
tion ; and  her  brother,  Mr.  Ernest,  on  his  last  visit,  in  the  autumn, 
proposed  that  they  should  sell  their  lease,  quit  their  farm,  and  remove 
to  a place  he  would  provide  for  them. 

Mr.  Kemper,  therefore,  sold  the  property  of  his  lease,  which  was 
on  three  lives,  — one  of  them  my  mother’s.  A few  years  since,  in 
1816,  an  inquiry  was  made  whether  she  was  yet  living,  as  the  estate 
was  still  held  by  that  tenure. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1749,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kemper  left  their  farm, 
and  the  improvements  of  six  years,  to  the  great  regret  of  their  kind 
neighbors,  who  assisted  to  convey  the  family  to  Rhinebeck ; thence 
they  went  down  the  Hudson  in  a sloop  to  Mr.  Ernest  in  New  York. 

In  1749,  Mr.  Kemper,  by  the  sale  of  his  lease,  farm,  and  improve- 
ments, repaid  Mrv  Ernest  for  an  excellent  stone  house  in  Albany 
Street,  New  Brunswick,  N.  J. ; and  engaged  in  a profitable  business 


11 


as  a merchant.  Here  his  family  had  the  advantage  of  good  schools  ; 
and  my  mother,  for  the  first  time  within  her  remembrance,  entered  a 
church,  — an  interesting  occasion  she  has  often  described.  As  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Kemper  had  hitherto  resided  in  a settlement  where  German 
was  alone  spoken,  their  children  knew  only  their  mother-tongue  ; but 
by  attending  a church  where  the  services  were  in  Low  Dutch,  the 
prevalent  language  of  the  town,  and  an  English  Presbyterian  church, 
and  by  going  to  schools,  they  soon  acquired  both  languages. 

They  experienced  great  hospitality  and  kindness  from  their 
neighbors ; for,  in  those  days  of  primitive  simplicity,  there  existed 
apparently  more  warm-heartedness  than  in  these  of  more  cultivation 
and  refinement.  Each  member  of  a small  societ}7  had  an  individual 
sympathy  for  the  others,  since  all  were  in  some  degree  subject  to  the 
same  wants.  Interests  and  affections  were  stronger  when  thus  con- 
centrated, than  when  divided,  and  spread  abroad.  There  was  then 
danger  from  contracted  views,  and  means  of  information.  In  our  times, 
we  experience  the  comparative  heartlessness  of  an  extended  circle, 
where  there  is  less  equality,  and  greater  division  of  interest.  But 
these  changes  are  the  results  of  the  improvements  of  society,  and  are 
no  more  to  be  complained  of  than  the  advantages  of  a cultivated  mind 
and  a refined  taste,  which  open  new  avenues  to  both  pleasure  and 
pain. 

The  defeat  of  Gen.  Braddock  took  place  at  this  period,  and  my 
mother  remembers  seeing  the  remains  of  his  unfortunate  army  pass 
through  the  town.  Two  German  grenadiers,  by  the  names  of  Burns 
and  Kaun,  were  quartered  in  her  father’s  house ; and  she  often  heard 
them  describe  that  dreadful  scene. 

When  the  first  Episcopal  church  was  built  in  New  Brunswick,  a 
young  man  named  William  Yoorhies,  the  son  of  one  of  Mr.  Kemper’s 
friends,  employed  in  the  erection,  fell  from  the  steeple.  Although 
severely  injured,  he  entirely  recovered  ; but  was  ever  afterwards 
distinguished  by  the  name  of  “Steeple  Yoorhies.” 


After  Mr.  Kemper  bad  resided  ten  years  in  New  Brunswick,  trade 
was  suddenly  turned  into  new  channels  ; the  town  declined,  and 
he  was  obliged  to  seek  a new  abode.  He  sold  a vessel  he  had  built  to 
ply  between  Brunswick  and  New  York,  and  all  the  property  he  could 
dispose  of  without  sacrifice.  His  real  estate  was  retained  two  years, 
when  it  was  sold  at  a reduced  price.  With  the  proceeds  he  entered 
into  business  in  New  York,  where  Mr.  Ernest  was  an  affluent  mer- 
chant. 

This  removal  from  New  Brunswick  in  1759  was  very  painful  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kemper,  and  especially  to  their  children.  Their  hearts 
were  grieved  at  leaving  friends,  who  lamented  their  departure  with 
tears,  and  whose  kindness  they  took  every  opportunity  to  return. 

Mr.  Kemper’s  affairs  continued  prosperous  ; and  his  family,  which 
now  consisted  of  five  sons  and  four  daughters,  improved  in  their 
education. 

In  1761,  his  eldest  daughter  Gertrude,  born  at  Coblentz  on  the 
river  Rhine,  married  Dr.  Miller,  a young  German  physician,  who, 
like  many  others,  had  been  induced  to  come  to  America,  and  was 
successfully  practising  his  profession  in  New  York.  In  1765,  he 
visited  Germany ; and  as  he  was  an  only  son,  and  heir  to  a large 
property,  his  father  forbade  his  return.  He  therefore  requested 
his  wife  and  their  two  children  to  follow  him  under  the  care  of  her 
brothers  Matthew  and  Daniel  Kemper.  Dr.  Miller  received  them 
in  Holland,  and  conducted  them  to  the  city  of  Konigsberg,  in  the 
King  of  Prussia’s  dominions,  where  they  remained  on  his  father’s 
estate.  Daniel  Kemper  returned ; but  his  eldest  brother  Matthew 
married,  and  settled  near  Mrs.  Miller.  Their  relatives  in  New  York 
received  frequent  letters  until  1774,  when  intelligence  arrived  of  the 
death  of  Matthew  Kemper,  leaving  a widow  and  children.  Mrs.  Miller, 
in  her  last  letter,  expressed  great  anxiety  to  revisit  her  friends  in 
America,  but  it  was  impossible ; and  the  war  of  the  Revolution  termi- 
nated all  communication. 


13 


Six  weeks  after  the  marriage  of  Mrs.  Miller,  in  1761,  Mr.  Kemper’s 
second  daughter,  Maria  Sophia,  married  John  Morton,  a young  man 
employed  in  the  British  Army  in  the  commissary  department.  He 
was  of  an  amiable  and  cheerful  disposition.  Descriptive  cognomens 
were  the  usage  of  that  day,  and  his  personal  advantages  obtained  for 
him  that  of  “Handsome  Johnny.”  His  family  were  of  Scottish 
descent,  and  liberal  Protestants.  His  father  resided  near  Dawson’s 
Bridge,  in  the  north  of  Ireland.  He  was  an  elder  in  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Henry’s  church  for  thirty  years,  and  died  in  that  office.  He  gave 
his  children  a good  English  education,  and  instruction  in  all  branches 
requisite  to  render  them  capable  men  of  business ; and  their  excellent 
mother  early  taught  them  to  seek  success  by  the  efforts  of  virtuous 
industry.  Two  of  their  younger  sons,  Clarke  and  James  Morton,  also 
came  to  New  York,  but  died  early  in  life. 

Catherine,  the  third  daughter  of  Mr.  Kemper,  married  Capt.  Daw- 
son, of  the  British  Army,  - — - a man  of  amiable  character  and  man- 
ners, to  whom  she  was  warmly  attached.  Their  happy  <union  was 
severed  by  her  death  in  the  first  year  of  her  marriage,  and  her 
husband  did  not  long  survive.  Her  parents  transferred  to  her  infant 
son  the  tender  affection  of  which  she  had  long  been  the  object.  He 
lived  to  be  seven  years  of  age,  and  was  long  remembered  in  the 
family  by  the  endearing  name  of  “ Little  Harry.” 

The  sons  of  Mr.  Kemper  were  successful  in  different  pursuits  ; but 
the  war  of  the  Revolution  broke  up  their  establishments.  Exiled  from 
their  happy  homes,  they  were  subjected  to  danger  and  anxiety  in  the 
theatre  of  actual  warfare. 

“ What  was  the  situation  of  Mr.  Ernest  during  all  these  changes  ? ” 
will  naturally  be  asked  by  all  who  read  this  narrative,  and  remember 
his  unwearied  kindness  towards  his  sister.  After  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Kemper  had,  removed  to  New  York,  Mr.  Ernest,  who  had  acquired  a 
large  fortune,  resolved  to  visit  Germany,  in  the  hope  of  seeing  his 
father  once  more.  But  the  good  minister  of  Manheim  had  died  one 


u 


month  before  his  arrival.  This  disappointment  was  very  affecting  to 
Mr.  Ernest,  who,  many  years  before,  had  left  his  father’s  house  with- 
out the  knowledge  of  his  parents. 

He  then  heard  of  the  fate  of  his  sister  Susan  Ernest,  who  was 
married,  and  resided  on  the  hanks  of  the  Rhine.  By  the  sudden 
bursting  of  a water-spout  against  a mountain  in  her  neighbor- 
hood, a tremendous  flood  descended  to  the  river,  carrying  death  and 
destruction  to  all  within  its  course.  Her  house  was  washed  into 
the  Rhine.  She  was  last  seen  standing  at  her  door,  with  an  infant 
in  her  arms.  No  help  could  be  afforded  her,  and  she  perished  with 
all  her  family. 

Mr.  Ernest  had  the  consolation  of  seeing  his  mother,  and  his  sur- 
viving sister  Catherine,  who  had  married  Christian  Hoffman,  and  who, 
with  her  husband  and  two  sons,  returned  with  him  to  America.  He 
brought  workmen  from  Germany,  and  established  a glass-house  six 
miles  from  New  York  ; but  this  undertaking  failed  from  the  incompe- 
tency of  the  chief  person  employed,  and  Mr.  Ernest  consequently  lost 
a great  part  of  his  fortune. 

When  the  Revolution  began,  he  entered  into  business  in  Philadel- 
phia; and,  when  the  British  troops  came  there,  he  put  all  his  property 
and  furniture  on  board  a sloop,  to  he  taken  up  the  Delaware  to 
Trenton,  while  he  went  to  that  place  by  land  with  his  wife. 
Instead  of  going  to  Trenton,  the  captain  of  the  vessel  went  over  to 
the  British ; and  Mr.  Ernest  again  lost  all  his  possessions,  except  the 
money  he  had  with  him.  He  afterwards  came  to  his  friends  in 
Morristown,  where  he  resided  until  his  death,  — three  years  before 
peace  was  proclaimed. 

Previous  to  Mr.  Ernest’s  visit  to  Germany,  his  only  son,  John 
Ernest,  a promising  and  excellent  young  man,  married,  and  settled 
in  New  York  as  a merchant.  Both  he  and  his  wife  died  early  in  life, 
leaving  two  sons,  Antony  and  Matthew.  The  youngest,  Matthew 
Ernest,  was  employed  during  the  residence  of  his  grandparents,  Mr. 


15 


and  Mrs.  Ernest,  at  Morristown,  in  iron-works  in  that  place,  and,  by  his 
industry  and  his  affectionate  conduct,  contributed  to  their  support 
and  comfort.  After  the  peace,  the  widow  of  Mr.  Ernest  returned  to 
New  York,  and  found  a home  in  the  house  of  Jacob  Sharpe,  her  son 
by  her  first  marriage. 


CHAPTER  II. 


Soon  after  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Morton  with  Maria  Sophia  Kemper,  he 
relinquished  his  place  in  the  commissary  department,  entered  into 
business  as  a merchant,  and  soon  acquired  a large  property.  He 
made  two  voyages  to  England,  or  “ Home  " as  it  was  always  termed 
by  the  colonists,  to  arrange  correspondences  with  merchants  and  with 
manufacturing  establishments.  He  owned  a large  brick  house  in 
Water  Street,  New  York,  in  which  he  resided  ; and  also  a wharf 
behind  it,  which  extended  below  low  water  mark.  His  ships  used  to 
unlade  into  his  spacious  warehouse  situated  on  the  wharf,  which  also 
served  as  a flaxseed  store,  — a branch  of  trade  in  which  my  father  was 
largely  engaged.  The  demand  for  Irish  linen  was  so  great,  that  the 
flax  was  not  allowed  to  ripen  in  Ireland.  It  was  there  immediately 
worked  up  at  the  manufactories,  and  the  seed  for  the  next  year 
imported  from  America,  where  it  was  then  raised  in  immense  quan- 
tities on  the  borders  of  the  Hudson.  This  lucrative  business  was 
destroyed  by  the  Revolution.  From  the  introduction  of  cotton  fabrics, 
it  never  subsequently  revived  ; and  trade  found  new  channels. 

At  that  period,  the  importations  of  merchants  comprehended  a 
great  variety  of  articles.  Mr.  Morton’s  large  establishment  was  filled 
with  every  description  of  English  manufactures,  from  the  finest  laces 
to  broadcloth  and  blankets,  and  also  those  of  other  countries, — 
superb  mirrors,  engravings,  china,  glass,  &c.,  — often  sent  directly 


IT 


from  the  manufacturers,  on  the  most  advantageous  terms ; and  his 
commercial  relations  were,  therefore,  very  prosperous. 

In  1774,  the  family  of  my  parents  consisted  of  four  children,  — two 
sons,  and  my  sister  Margaret  and  myself,  then  an  infant. 

From  the  commencement  of  the  Revolution,  my  father  and  all  the 
connections  of  our  family  took  the  side  of  liberty  and  the  Colonies, 
and  became  what  were  called  warm  Whigs.  After  the  scenes  attend- 
ant on  the  Stamp  Act  and  the  Tea  Tax,  when  war  seemed  inevitable, 
and  when  the  “ Asia,”  a British  man-of-war,  came  into  the  East  River, 
opposite  Mr.  Morton’s  house,  and  threatened  to  fire  upon  the  city, 
he  determined  to  leave  New  York.  He  was  promised  protection  and 
security  if  he  would  remain  a loyal  and  quiet  subject;  but  he  did 
not  hesitate  to  abandon  his  property,  rather  than  submit  to  the  unjust 
measures  of  a government  which  had  become  tyrannical  and  oppres- 
sive to  his  country. 

A vessel  belonging  to  him  had  arrived  from  England,  laden  with 
valuable  merchandise.  All  the  goods  in  the  warehouse  were  hastily 
packed  and  sent  on  board  this  ship,  which,  with  its  cargo,  was  ordered 
round  to  Philadelphia,  — a place  then  considered  out  of  reach  of  the 
British,  — under  the  care  of  Mr.  Gallaudet,  the  confidential  clerk  of 
Mr.  Morton ; where  they  were  sold  at  high  prices,  and  the  money 
deposited  in  the  Loan  Office. 

The  amount  thus  devoted  to  the  use  of  the  American  Army  by 
John  Morton  caused  him  to  be  denominated  by  the  British  “ the 
Rebel  Banker.”  As  he  was  not  able,  and  his  sons  were  not  old 
enough,  to  fight  the  battles  of  his  country,  he  said  he  would  pay  those 
who  could,  to  the  last  farthing  he  possessed. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morton  sent  over  their  furniture,  and  all  their  effects 
which  could  be  removed,  to  Elizabethtown  in  New  Jersey,  and  hastily 
followed  with  -their  family ; abandoning  their  excellent  house  and  all 
their  real  estate  to  their  enemies,  who  soon  took  possession  of  their 
pleasant  dwelling,  and  appropriated  every  thing  to  their  own  use 

3 


18 


during  the  seven  succeeding  years.  My  father’s  property  was  also 
diminished  by  the  depreciation  of  the  paper  money  issued  by  Con- 
gress, in  which  currency  he  was  obliged  to  receive  all  debts  due  to 
him.  The  partial  interest  allowed  by  Congress  for  the  money  depo- 
sited in  the  Loan  Office,  after  the  French  Loan  was  negotiated,  was 
paid  in  specie  ; and  this,  together  with  merchandise  taken  out  of 
New  York  and  sold  or  exchanged  for  articles  requisite  for  the  family, 
furnished  their  means  of  support  during  the  war. 

In  1775,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kemper  also  removed  to  Elizabethtown. 
Two  of  their  sons  entered  the  American  Army.  Jacob  Kemper  rose 
to  be  a captain  ; Daniel  served  as  a quarter-master.  Their  youngest 
daughter,  Susan  Kemper,  resided  with  my  mother.  My  father  pur- 
chased a house,  with  a large  garden  adjacent,  at  Elizabethtown.  As 
my  eldest  brother  had  been  there  prepared  for  college,  my  parents 
were  previously  acquainted  with  several  of  the  inhabitants.  They 
were  intimate  in  the  family  of  Elias  Boudinot,  and  attended  the 
church  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Caldwell,  a Presbyterian  minister,  who  joined 
the  ranks  of  the  American  Army  with  his  parishioners,  and  served  as 
a volunteer.  His  profession,  his  zeal  and  patriotism,  rendered  him 
peculiarly  obnoxious  to  the  British. 

While  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morton  resided  in  Elizabethtown,  their  cares 
were  increased  by  the  birth  of  another  son,  whom  they  named 
Washington ; a proof  of  their  confidence  in  that  great  man  at  the 
time  he  was  appointed  Commander-in-chief  of  the  American  Army. 
My  brother  was  certainly  the  first  child  ever  named  in  honor  of 
him. 

Alarmed  by  the  approach  of  the  British  Army,  our  family  fled  to 
Springfield,  seven  miles  distant,  where  they  remained  several  weeks 
in  a house  with  five  other  families,  who  were  also  fugitives.  My 
father  then  sought  a safer  situation,  and  purchased  a house  and 
farm  at  Baskinridge,  fifteen  or  twenty  miles  from  Elizabethtown  ; 
and  conveyed  thither  all  the  furniture  and  effects  brought  from 


19 


New  York.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kemper  removed  to  Germantown,  four- 
teen miles  farther  inland,  in  the  neighborhood  of  many  of  their 
countrymen. 

Baskinridge  was  in  a retired,  pleasant  situation,  enclosed  by  some 
high  land  called  “ the  Long  Hills.”  It  was  a secure  place  from  the 
British,  and  at  times  in  the  centre  of  the  American  Army.  The 
head-quarters  of  Washington  were  at  Morristown,  only  seven  miles 
distant.  The  hospital  was  located  on  Mr.  Morton’s  estate.  It  was  a 
long,  low  log  building,  situated  on  a rising  ground  in  a meadow : 
a brook  ran  in  front  of  it,  and  supplied  the  inmqtes  with  water  for 
cooking  and  washing.  Dr.  Tilton,  the  director  of  the  medical  depart- 
ment, with  Dr.  Stevenson,  Dr.  Coventry,  and  other  physicians,  had 
rooms  in  my  father’s  house ; and  a small  school-house  was  converted 
into  an  apothecary’s  shop.  This  arrangement  continued  more  than 
two  years,  and  the  society  of  these  gentlemen  was  very  agreeable. 

Across  the  high  road  was  a fine  spring,  — excavated,  and  lined 
with  boards,  — making  a kind  of  cistern  four  or  five  feet  square. 
Over  a small  brook  which  ran  from  it  was  what  was  called  a “ spring- 
house,”  for  milk  and  butter,  under  the  shade  of  some  large  trees. 
The  barns  were  also  on  that  side  of  the  road,  farther  up  the  hill  ; on 
the  top  of  which,  the  church,  the  burial-ground,  and  a school-house, 
were  situated  near  a wood  of  oak  trees.  At  the  foot  of  the  hill, 
below  the  garden,  another  brook  flowed  through  a meadow ; and 
beyond  it  was  a grove  of  trees,  not  thick,  but  shady.  In  this  brook, 
and  about  it,  my  sister  and  I often  played,  building  dams  across  it  to 
have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  water  fall  over  them. 

There  were  several  women  employed  as  domestics  in  our  family, 
and  a negro  man  — Belfast  — who  deserves  a particular  notice.  He 
was  a boy  of  nine  years  old  when  my  father  purchased  him ; a mode 
of  securing  service  then  considered  as  proper  as  by  wages. 

There  is  no  subject  on  which  the  opinions  of  society  have  under- 
gone so  great  a change  as  upon  that  of  slavery.  The  iniquity  of  the 


20 


cruel  treatment  of  field  slaves,  on  plantations  in  the  Southern  States, 
was  at  that  period  acknowledged ; but  in  the  Middle  and  New- 
England  States,  where  they  were  domesticated  and  kindly  treated, 
slavery  seemed  to  have  lost  its  horrors.  The  owners  of  negroes 
appeared  entirely  unconscious  of  the  guilt  of  bringing  them  forcibly 
from  their  own  country  to  one  where  they  were  better  off  in  some 
respects ; and  thought  it  was  doing  them  a service,  though  against 
their  will.  The  fact  was,  their  minds  had  never  been  turned  to 
reason  on  the  subject.  I remember  the  great  surprise  I felt,  the  first 
time  I heard  an  intimation  that  it  was  wrong  to  hold  a slave,  although 
the  truth  of  the  proposition  was  so  self-evident  that  it  needed  only 
to  be  stated  to  be  allowed  by  an  unprejudiced  mind. 

Belfast  Avas  so  named  from  the  port  to  which  the  captain  belonged 
who  sold  him  to  my  father.  He  was  kindly  brought  up,  instructed 
in  reading  and  writing ; Avas  faithful,  honest,  and  cheerful,  and 
gratefully  attached  to  his  master  and  the  family.  We  children  were 
very  fond  of  him.  I Avas  his  great  favorite ; and  he  often  carried 
me  up  and  down  the  hill,  and  from  school,  in  his  arms.  He  used 
to  sing  and  dance  for  our  amusement,  and  to  play  on  the  comb, 
for  us  to  dance ; in  Avhich  accomplishment  he  Avas  also  our  instruc- 
tor. Yet  such  was  his  respectful  familiarity,  that  he  never  offended 
in  either  word  or  action.  He  was  an  excellent  cook,  and  ready  at 
all  kinds  of  work  within  and  without  the  house. 

At  a period  and  in  a situation  Avhen  assistance  Avas  difficult  to 
obtain,  Belfast  Avas  an  invaluable  domestic.  After  our  family  returned 
to  New  York,  he  married,  and  asked  and  obtained  his  freedom.  He 
always  sustained  a good  character,  but  did  not  long  survive  leaving 
his  old  home.  The  change  probably  was  not  for  'the  better,  — for  his 
comfort  and  happiness ; but  he  enjoyed  the  gratification  of  being  a 
free  man.  A good  man  he  certainly  was,  to  the  best  of  his  know- 
ledge and  ability ; and  I never  think  of  him,  even  at  this  period  of 
my  life,  but  Avith  respect  and  affection. 


21 


Soon  after  the  removal  of  our  family  to  Baskinridge,  my  father’s 
brother,  James  Morton,  who  was  established  at  Hartford  in  Connecti- 
cut, died  at  the  age  of  thirty.  On  his  Avaj'  to  Baskinridge,  he  Avas 
attacked  by  a fever  at  the  house  of  his  friend  Mr.  Wilson,  a few 
miles  from  our  residence,  whence  he  could  not  be  removed.  My 
parents  were  with  him  during  his  illness ; and  his  remains  were 
brought  to  Baskinridge,  and  interred  in  the  burial-ground  on  the 
hill.  An  amiable  man  and  an  affectionate  brother,  he  was  much 
lamented  by  my  parents,  who  soon  afterwards  Avent  to  Hartford  to 
settle  his  affairs.  They  travelled  in  a phaeton,  Avhicli  I remember, 
and  also  the  large  black  coach  horses.  Taking  the  road  on  the  Jer- 
sey side  of  the  Hudson,  they  crossed  that  river  Avhere  the  banks 
were  in  the  possession  of  the  American  Army. 

The  country  people  near  Baskinridge  were  not  generally  kind  or 
hospitable  to  the  exiles  from  NeAv  York ; but  there  were  many  honora- 
ble exceptions.  Among  these  Avere  our  excellent  neighbors,  the 
families  of  Mr.  LeAvis  and  Mr.  Southard.  The  lower  classes  in  New 
Jersey  did  not  enjoy  the  advantage  of  the  common  schools  of  New 
England ; and  they  were  too  ignorant  and  selfish  even  to  understand 
the  peculiar  hardships  endured  by  those  Avho  were  driven  from  their 
homes,  and  exposed  to  severe  suffering  for  the  same  cause  in  which 
they  Avere  also  engaged.  Jealousy  is  often  excited  in  ordinary 
minds  by  any  degree  of  superiority.  It  Avas  a common  taunt  among 
the  most  ignorant  and  uncivilized,  that  any  article  complained  of  Avas 
good  enough  for  “ the  Yorkers,”  or  for  “ the  Quality,”  as  they  termed 
the  exiles,  Avhom  they  en\Tied,  even  in  their  unhappy  circumstances, 
for  their  superior  advantages  of  education  and  manners. 

It  was  supposed  they  had  brought  a great  deal  of  money  and 
property  with  them  from  New  York.  Their  clothes  were  their  most 
coveted  possessions.*  My  mother  was  often  obliged  to  part  with 
any  article  of  dress  fancied,  and  enormous  prices  were  asked  for  all 
provisions.  As  the  war  lasted  seven  years,  even  the  most  common 


22 


implements  of  convenience  and  industry,  such  as  needles,  pins,  Ac., 
became  extremely  scarce  and  valuable.  There  was,  for  instance, 
only  one  darning-needle  of  the  size  to  carry  yarn  among  the  families 
in  our  neighborhood ; and  it  was  sent  from  house  to  house,  and 
valued  as  a treasure.  One  day,  my  mother  imprudently  intrusted 
it  to  my  little  brother  Washington  to  carry  to  a friend,  with  many 
charges  to  go  straight  and  he  careful.  These  were  soon  forgotten, 
and  the  precious  darning-needle  was  lost.  After  the  dismay  at  such 
an  accident  had  subsided,  a strict  search  was  made  along  the  path 
taken  by  the  delinquent ; and  the  darning-needle  was  at  length 
discovered,  sticking  in  a stump  by  the  side  of  the  road  where  he 
had  placed  it  Avhile  he  stopped  to  play.  Great  were  the  rejoicings 
at  its  recovery,  and  it  was  never  again  intrusted  to  such  a youthful 
messenger. 

The  house  at  Basldnridge  was  of  two  stories,  situated  on  the  high 
road,  about  half  way  down  a hill.  On  one  side,  therefore,  the  parlor 
windows  were  even  with  the  ground : on  the  other,  was  a high  porch 
with  seats,  the  steps  of  which  led  to  the  second  story.  I remember 
seeing  “ the  Doctors,”  as  we  used  to  call  them,  sitting  in  the  porch 
through  which  they  entered  their  apartments,  without  incommoding 
the  family.  In  front  was  a small  court-yard,  enclosed  by  pales ; and 
on  the  side  down  the  hill,  an  excellent  garden.  It  was  a comfortable, 
convenient  house ; and  the  furniture,  plate,  books,  pictures,  and  mir- 
rors brought  from  New  York,  gave  it  the  appearance  of  a gentleman’s 
residence.  The  “ View  near  Naples,”  by  Claude,  engraved  by  Yiva- 
res  ; the  “ View  of  the  Seat  of  the  Duke  of  Argyle  at  Whitton,”  drawn 
and  engraved  by  W.  Woollett ; an  engraved  likeness  of  Maria,  Countess 
of  Coventry,  and  of  her  sister  the  Duchess  of  Argyle,  — were  among 
the  ornaments  of  the  walls,  and,  with  the  exception  of  the  latter,  are 
now  in  my  possession. 

At  the  distance  of  half  a mile  from  my  father’s  residence,  in  two 
farm-houses  lived  the  family  of  Elias  Boudinot,  who  had  retired  there 


23 


from  his  elegant  seat  in  Elizabethtown.  He  had  an  only  daughter, 
about  seventeen ; and  his  sister  Mrs.  Hetfield,  and  her  family,  resided 
near  him. 

Dr.  Kennedy,  the  clergyman  of  Baskinridge,  was  educated  as  a 
physician ; and,  having  afterwards  studied  divinity,  he  skilfully  prac- 
tised both  professions.  He  was  a Scotchman ; a man  of  uncommon 
good  sense  ; “ an  Israelite  indeed,  in  whom  there  was  no  guile ; ” 
and,  being  one  of  our  nearest  neighbors,  his  society  and  ministry 
were  considered  a great  privilege. 

The  seat  of  Lord  Stirling,  called  by  the  country  people  “ the 
Buildings,”  was  two  miles  distant.  Designed  to  imitate  the  residence 
of  an  English  nobleman,  it  was  unfinished  when  the  war  began. 
The  stables,  coach-houses,  and  other  offices,  ornamented  with  cupolas 
and  gilded  vanes,  were  built  round  a large  paved  court  behind  the 
mansion.  The  front,  with  piazzas,  opened  on  a fine  lawn,  descending 
to  a considerable  stream  called  “ the  Black  River.”  A large  hall 
extended  through  the  centre  of  the  house.  On  one  side  was  a 
drawing-room,  with  painted  walls  and  a stuccoed  ceiling.  Being 
taken  there  when  a child,  my  imagination  was  struck  with  a style 
and  splendor  so  different  from  all  around.  The  daughters  of  Lord 
Stirling,  called  Lady  Mary  and  Lady  Kitty,  afterwards  Mrs.  Watts 
and  Mrs.  Duer,  the  Miss  Livingstons,  afterwards  Mrs.  Kane  and  Mrs. 
Otto,  and  other  cultivated  and  elegant  women  domesticated  in  the 
family,  made  an  impression  I can  never  forget,  for  they  were  all 
very  pleasing  and  kind  to  me. 

Lord  Stirling’s  family  was  of  Scotch  origin.  His  mother,  Madam 
Alexander,  owned  a large  establishment  in  New  York,  acquired  pro- 
perty by  trade,  and  sent  her  son  to  Scotland  for  his  education.  He 
returned,  married  Miss  Livingston,  and,  when  he  inherited  his  fortune, 
claimed  a Scotch  title,  and  affected  the  style  of  life  of  a nobleman. 
When  the  Revolution  began,  he  took  the  side  of  the  Colonies,  held 
the  commission  of  a general  in  the  American  Army  under  Washington, 


24 


and  died  in  1783.  He  left  no  son  to  inherit  his  title  and  estates;  and 
thus  ended  his  plans  and  prospects. 

Ten  years  afterwards,  I again  visited  “ the  Buildings  ; ” but  what 
a change  had  taken  place  ! The  family  had  removed,  the  house  was 
tenanted  by  a farmer,  and  the  hall  and  elegant  drawing-room,  con- 
verted into  granaries,  were  filled  with  corn  and  wheat,  and  the 
jjaved  court-yard  with  pigs  and  poultry.  The  stables  and  coach- 
house were  going  to  ruin ; and  through  the  door  of  the  latter,  which 
was  falling  off  the  hinges,  I saw  the  state-coach  of  the  fashion  of  Sir 
Charles  Grandison’s  day.  It  was  ornamented  with  gilded  coronets, 
and  coats-of-arms  blazoned  on  the  panels,  and  the  fowls  were  perch- 
ing and  roosting  upon  it. 

The  families  I have  enumerated,  and  visitors  from  Morristown  and 
the  neighborhood,  formed  a delightful  society,  and  much  was  enjoyed 
in  the  midst  of  exile,  anxiety,  and  alarm.  The  constant  excitement 
of  their  situation  made  up  for  inconvenience  and  distress.  They 
lived  every  moment,  “ and  snatched  a fearful  joy.”  Still  it  was  enjoy- 
ment, perhaps  much  greater  and  more  exquisite  than  that  afforded  by 
more  tranquil  scenes  and  peaceful  times ; and  here,  as  everywhere, 
we  recognize  the  doctrine  of  balances  and  compensations,  — giving  to 
every  lot  peculiar  pleasures  and  sufferings. 

Being  myself,  during  the  war,  a child  under  nine  years  of  age,  my 
impressions,  although  lively,  are  unconnected.  I shall  state  the 
events  I remember,  in  precise  terms,  and  describe  the  rest  from  the 
recollections  of  my  mother,  corroborated  by  other  relatives. 

The  American  troops  were  constantly  passing  and  repassing,  and 
the  house  frequently  full  of  officers,  who  were  always  received  and 
treated  with  hospitality  and  kindness.  All  was  freely  given,  — shel- 
ter, food,  forage  for  their  horses,  relief  for  the  sick  and  wounded. 

The  residence  of  Mr.  Morton’s  family  upon  the  high  road,  and 
near  head-quarters,  exposed  them  to  great  expense,  fatigue,  and  labor. 
They  were  frequently  obliged  to  bake  three  or  four  times  in  one  day ; 


25 


for,  as  soon  as  one  batch  of  bread  was  taken  from  the  oven,  a party 
of  hungry  soldiers  would  pass  by,  to  whom  it  would  be  given,  and 
another  and  another  prepared.  These  also  would  be  called  for, 
and  bestowed  in  the  same  manner,  together  with  beer,  cider,  and 
whatever  provisions  the  house  afforded.  But  it  was  all  generously 
given ; the  owner  thinking  himself  amply  repaid  by  the  information 
he  received  of  passing  events,  in  which  he  took  so  deep  an  interest. 
General  Washington  and  his  suite  were  often  my  father’s  guests. 
Among  the  stores  brought  from  New  York  were  two  pipes  of  Ma- 
deira wine,  which  often  contributed  to  the  refreshment  of  the 
beloved  chief. 

The  capture  of  Genei’al  Lee  on  the  13th  of  December,  1776, 
occurred  soon  after  the  settlement  of  our  family  at  Baskinridge.  He 
had  come  from  the  American  camp  at  Morristown  to  reconnoitre;  and 
put  up  for  the  night  at  Mr.  White’s  tavern,  not  half  a mile  from  our 
house,  — up  the  hill  beyond  the  church.  My  father,  who  was  always 
attentive  to  every  officer  of  the  army,  called  on  General  Lee,  and 
invited  him  to  breakfast  the  next  day.  He  accepted ; but,  as  he  did 
not  appear  at  the  appointed  time,  Mr.  Morton  became  impatient,  and 
walked  up  the  hill  to  meet  his  expected  guest.  On  his  way,  he 
encountered  many  of  the  country  people  running  in  great  consterna- 
tion, exclaiming,  “ The  British  have  come  to  take  General  Lee  ! ” My 
father  hurried  on,  and  saw  Lee,  without  hat  or  cloak,  forcibly  mounted, 
and  carried  off  by  a troop  of  horse  ; and,  as  he  had  but  few  attendants, 
little  resistance  was  attempted.  One  of  his  men,  who  offered  to  defend 
him,  was  cut  down  and  wounded  by  the  sabres  of  the  horsemen.  He 
was  brought  down  to  our  house,  where  he  was  taken  care  of  until  he 
was  carried  on  a litter  to  a surgeon  at  Mendon  ; and  after  three 
months  he  recovered,  and  came  to  thank  my  mother  for  her  kindness 
to  him. 

Information  of  the  unguarded  situation  of  General  Lee  at  Baskin- 
ridge was  given  by  a countryman  to  Colonel  Harcourt  of  the  British 

4 


26 


Army,  who,  with  a body  of  cavalry,  had  been  sent  from  New  Brunswick 
to  watch  his  movements.  A detachment  of  seventy  light  horse 
surrounded  the  house  where  Lee  staid,  before  he  had  any  intimation 
of  their  approach,  and  carried  him  off  in  triumph.  The  terror  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Baskinridge  was  very  great  : they  feared  the  army 
of,  the  enemy  was  upon  them,  and  could  hardly  believe  the  troops 
were  gone  as  soon  as  they  heard  they  had  come.  At  that  time, 
however,  they  remained  undisturbed,  except  by  their  own  appre- 
hensions. 

The  British  Army  never  penetrated  to  Baskinridge  : but  there 
were  repeated  alarms  of  their  approach  with  fire  and  sword ; and  the 
children  were  often  sent  in  wagons  to  cottages  among  the  hills, 
several  miles  distant,  — considered  places  of  safety.  On  one  of  these 
occasions,  I was  sent  at  night,  with  my  sister  and  my  brother  Wash- 
ington, to  a Mr.  Gobles,  in  the  woods.  We  were  placed  on  our  beds 
in  the  wagon ; and  well  covered  up,  as  it  was  very  cold,  were  driven 
by  Belfast,  who  cheered  and  encouraged  us  in  our  darksome  expe- 
dition. At  our  place  of  refuge  we  were  received  very  kindly  by 
the  good  woman  of  the  cottage,  who  gave  us  some  bread  and  milk, 
and  spread  our  beds  on  the  floor.  But  great  was  my  astonishment 
at  her  arrangements  for  her  own  children  : she  raised  some  boards  in 
the  corner  of  the  only  room  in  the  house,  under  which  there  was 
a bed  of  dried  leaves,  where  they  were  placed,  and  covered  with  their 
clothes  and  a blanket.  I was  very  much  afraid  I was  to  be  put  in 
there  too ; but  Belfast  comforted  me  by  saying  he  would  take  care  of 
me,  and  sit  up  all  night  by  the  fire,  which  he  did,  with  the  hospitable 
owners  of  this  humble  roof. 

This  alarm  proved  groundless ; and  when  my  parents,  who  had 
remained  at  home,  came  for  us  the  next  morning,  and  beheld  the  steep 
and  dangerous  road  we  had  passed  over  in  the  night  at  the  risk  of  our 
lives,  they  rejoiced  to  find  us  in  safety,  and  our  hosts  were  liberally 
rewarded. 


By  another  of  these  reports  that  the  British  were  advancing, 
which  caused  our  family  to  disperse,  one  of  our  servants  was  much 
alarmed  ; and,  her  thoughts  being  equally  divided  between  terror 
at  the  approach  of  the  enemy  and  the  care  of  her  clothes,  she  put 
on  so  many  gowns  and  petticoats,  and  so  loaded  herself  with  the 
remainder,  that  her  flight  could  be  neither  fast  nor  far.  She  only 
reached  the  middle  of  the  burial-ground  on  the  hill,  where  she  sank 
down,  overcome  with  apprehension  and  the  weight  of  her  apparel ; 
and  mistaking  one  of  the  family,  who  was  passing  quickly,  for  a 
British  soldier,  she  called  out,  “ 0 sir ! take  all  I have,  but  spare  my 
life.”  She  was  soon  happily  undeceived,  and  assisted  home  again 
with  her  property  unharmed ; and  great  was  the  amusement  her 
adventure  excited  in  all  who  heard  it,  after  their  own  fears  were 
dissipated. 


CHAPTER  III. 


In  1779,  Susan  Kemper  was  married  to  Dr.  Jackson  of  Philadel- 
phia, and  went  to  reside  in  that  city.  Her  uncommon  vivacity, 
cheerful  temper,  and  great  capability  had  rendered  her  a most 
useful  and  delightful  inmate  in  our  family.  I had  been  named  after 
her,  and  was  grieved  at  her  departure.  My  sister  Margaret  was 
afterwards  sent  to  stay  with  her  aunt,  and  attend  school,  in  Phila- 
delphia. As  we  had  no  advantages  of  the  kind  at  Baskinridge, 
my  mother  wished  me  to  go  there  also ; and  she  proposed  to  visit 
my  aunt,  and  take  me  with  her.  I was  pleased  with  the  plan,  as  the 
intention  of  leaving  me  at  school  was  not  mentioned.  This  was 
the  first  journey  I had  ever  made  ; and  the  mere  motion  of  the  chaise 
in  which  I was  seated  between  my  mother  and  my  eldest  brother,  as 
we  moved  on  through  roads  and  places  I had  never  seen  before,  was 
delightful.  But,  when  I reached  Philadelphia,  I was  disappointed. 
I did  not  know  what  to  expect ; but  something  beautiful,  new,  and 
strange  was  connected  in  my  imagination  with  the  city  where  my 
aunt  Susan  had  gone  to  live.  The  image  I had  formed  in  my  mind 
was  very  different  from  the  reality.  The  houses  crowded  together ; 
the  streets  full  of  people,  hurrying  to  and  fro ; the  throng  of  car- 
riages, carts,  and  wagons,  — impressed  me  very  disagreeably.  I was 
stunned  with  the  noise,  and  terrified  by  the  confusion  and  danger 
which  seemed  to  threaten  me  if  I moved  out  of  the  house.  My  aunt 
was  as  kind  as  ever;  but  she  had  the  cares  of  a family,  and  could 


29 


not  be  as  attentive  to  me  as  she  had  been  at  Baskinridge.  I soon 
discovered  that  my  mother  intended  to  leave  me  in  Philadelphia,  and 
this  completed  my  discontent.  I cried  to  go  home ; and  nothing 
would  pacify  me,  till  my  mother  promised  I should  be  sent  there 
with  Mr.  Martin,  without  waiting  for  her  return. 

Mr.  Martin  was  an  old  man  who  carried  the  mail  between  Phila- 
delphia and  Morristown,  and  was  called  “ the  Post.”  He  used  to 
wear  a blue  coat  with  yellow  buttons,  a scarlet  waistcoat,  leathern 
small-clothes,  blue  yarn  stockings,  and  a red  wig  and  cocked  hat, 
which  gave  him  a sort  of  military  appearance.  He  usually  travelled 
in  a sulky,  but  sometimes  in  a chaise  or  on  horseback,  according  to 
the  season  of  the  year  or  the  size  and  weight  of  the  mail-bag.  Mr. 
Martin  also  contrived  to  employ  himself  in  knitting  coarse  yarn 
stockings  while  driving  or  rather  jogging  along  the  road,  or  when 
seated  on  his  saddle-bags  on  horseback.  He  certainly  did  not  ride 
post,  according  to  the  present  meaning  of  that  term. 

Between  Baskinridge  and  Philadelphia  and  Princeton,  he  was  the 
constant  medium  of  communication ; and  always  stopped  at  our  house 
to  refresh  himself  and  his  horse,  tell  the  news,  and  bring  packets. 
He  was  an  excellent,  honest  old  man ; and  I was  secure  of  a good 
reception  at  any  of  the  private  houses  to  which  he  chose  to  fake 
me.  I shall  never  forget  the  delight  I felt  when  I found  myself 
seated  beside  Mr.  Martin  in  his  chaise,  and  going  away  from  Phila- 
delphia ; nor  the  surprise  of  our  family  at  Baskinridge,  when  they 
saw  me  driving  down  the  hill  with  him.  They  all  ran  to  the  door ; 
when  Belfast  exclaimed,  “Well,  if  here  isn’t  our  Susan  coming, 
riding  home  with  the  Post ! ” 

When  my  mother  returned,  I was  sent  with  my  brother  Washing- 
ton to  stay  with  Mrs.  Kemper  at  Germantown,  to  attend  the  school  ot 
Master  Leslie,  who,  though  a good  man,  was  very  severe  in  his 
discipline.  His  modes  of  punishment  would  astonish  the  children 
of  the  present  day.  One  of  them  was  “ to  hold  the  blocks.”  They 


30 


were  of  two  sizes.  The  large  one  was  a heavy  block  of  wood, 
with  a ring  in  the  centre,  by  which  it  was  to  be  held  a definite 
number  of  minutes  by  his  watch,  according  to  the  magnitude  of  the 
offence.  The  small  block  was  for  the  younger  children.  Another 
punishment  was  by  a number  of  leathern  straps,  about  an  inch  wide 
and  a finger  long,  fastened  to  a handle  of  wood,  with  which  he  used 
to  strap  the  hands  of  the  larger  boys.  To  the  girls  he  was  more 
lenient. 

•Master  Leslie  was  particularly  anxious  to  instruct  us  in  the  Scrip- 
tures ; and,  according  to  the  custom  of  that  day,  we  stood  up  in 
classes,  each  child  with  a Bible  in  hand,  and  read  a verse  in  turn. 
TVe  constantly  came  to  unintelligible  passages,  and  fatigue  and  dis- 
gust were  the  consequence.  Lists  of  texts  of  Scripture  beginning 
with  the  same  letter,  written  upon  paper  and  pasted  upon  boards, 
were  also  hung  round  the  schoolroom.  These  alphabets,  as  they  were 
called,  were  given  to  the  scholars  to  take  home,  and  commit  to 
memory  on  Sunday,  with  catechism  and  hymns.  By  early  painful 
associations,  the  subject  of  religion  was  thus  rendered  tedious  and 
repulsive  to  many  persons  in  after  life. 

To  give  us  some  idea  of  geography  and  astronomy,  Master  Leslie 
used  to  employ  his  snuff-box,  and  sundry  little  balls  of  yarn,  to  repre- 
sent the  solar  system ; and  thus  completely  puzzled  and  confused  my 
brain.  I knew  he  would  not  tell  a falsehood ; but  to  make  me  believe 
that  the  sun  stood  still,  and  we  whirled  round  it,  required  a clearer 
explanation.  He  succeeded,  however,  in  elevating  himself  in  our 
opinion. 

“ And  still  he  taught ; and  still  our  wonder  grew, 

That  one  small  head  could  carry  all  he  knew.” 

The  British  made  a descent  upon  Elizabethtown  on  the  7th 
of  June,  1780,  where  they  observed  great  decorum  and  discipline. 
They  then  advanced  five  miles  to  Connecticut  Farms.  To  that  place 
Mr.  Caldwell,  the  Presbyterian  clergyman  of  Elizabethtown,  had 


31 


removed.  His  zeal  and  activity  against  the  British  had  excited 
their  keenest  resentment,  and  had  rendered  it  insecure  for  him  to 
remain  at  home.  From  this  retreat,  on  the  approach  of  the  British, 
he  withdrew  a few  miles  to  join  the  Americans  at  Springfield.  He 
left  his  wife  and  children,  supposing  they  could  not  he  objects  of 
cruelty.  The  militia  of  “ the  Farms  ” had  all  marched  to  Springfield 
by  the  command  of  Colonel  Dayton,  so  that  there  was  no  cause  for 
firing  a gun. 

Soon  after  the  royal  forces  came  to  “the  Farms,”  a soldier  who 
had  been  a servant  in  the  family  of  Dr.  Chandler,  the  Episcopal  cler- 
gyman of  Elizabethtown,  and  who  had  there  seen  Mrs.  Caldwell,  came 
to  her  house,  put  his  gun  into  the  window  of  the  room  where  she  was 
sitting  with  her  children,  her  infant  in  her  arms,  took  deliberate  aim 
at  her,  and  discharged  his  musket.  She  received  the  ball  in  her 
bosom,  and  instantly  expired.  At  the  earnest  request  of  Captain 
Chandler,  a son  of  the  Episcopal  clergyman  of  Elizabethtown,  in  the 
British  service,  the  body  of  Mrs.  Caldwell  was  protected,  and  carried 
with  her  children  to  a house  at  some  distance,  while  her  own  was  set 
on  fire,  and  consumed,  with  all  the  pi'operty  it  contained.  The 
enemy  burnt  about  twelve  other  houses  and  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
and  then  marched  back  to  Elizabethtown. 

The  murder  of  Mrs.  Caldwell  renewed  the  spirit  and  enthusiasm 
of  the  troops.  She  was  considered  as  a martyr  in  their  cause,  and 
they  swore  to  revenge  her  death.  The  army  was  suffering  from 
desertion,  and  from  want  of  money,  provisions,  and  clothes ; and  the 
people  were  dispirited  by  the  defeat  of  General  Lincoln  at  Charles- 
ton, South  Carolina.  Two  regiments  had  mutinied;  hut,  in  deference 
to  their  commander,  had  returned  to  their  duty,  although  in  the 
greatest  distress  for  pay  and  food.  But,  at  that  moment,  this  event 
inspired  the  Americans  with  new  courage. 

The  British  remained  at  Elizabethto’wn  Point  till  the  23d  of  June, 
when  they  advanced  to  Springfield.  General  Greene,  of  the  Ameri- 


32 


can  Army,  — who,  upon  the  first  alarm,  was  detached  to  defend  that 
place,  — posted  his  troops  on  the  hills,  hoping  the  enemy  would 
attack  him  there  ; but  they  declined  the  action,  and  set  fire  to  Spring- 
field.  Fifty  dwelling-houses  and  the  church  were  burnt;  and,  except 
four  houses,  the  whole  village  wras  reduced  to  ashes.  The  strength 
of  General  Greene’s  position  prevented  the  enemy  from  penetrating 
to  Morristown  to  destroy  the  magazines  and  stores  of  the  American 
Army  in  that  vicinity.  The  British,  pursued  by  the  militia  enraged 
by  the  conflagration  they  had  just  witnessed,  again  retreated  to  Eliza- 
bethtown Point,  and  crossed  the  same  night  to  Staten  Island.* 

A few  days  after  the  burning  of  Springfield,  my  father  and  mother 
collected  all  the  clothing  and  every  article  which  could  be  spared 
from  their  own  stores  or  those  of  their  neighbors,  and  went  to  offer 
relief  to  the  sufferers.  The  inhabitants  of  that  ill-fated  town,  although 
in  such  distressed  circumstances,  were  in  good  spirits.  They  were 
already  beginning  to  collect  materials  for  temporary  shelter,  and 
were  raking  out  of  the  ashes  of  their  former  dwellings  nails,  hinges, 
and  other  iron  work,  for  the  erection  of  new  habitations.  Many  anec- 
dotes of  courage  and  magnanimity  were  related  to  my  parents. 

Upon  the  approach  of  the  British,  the  women  and  children  fled 
from  the  town,  and  were  collected  together  on  the  brow  of  a hill, 
about  a mile  distant,  in  full  view  of  the  conflagration.  As  one  house 
after  another  caught  fire,  they  would  call  out,  “ There  goes  your 
house  ! ” and  “ There  goes  yours  ! ” One  woman,  whose  husband  had 
just  built  a fine  large  house,  and  shop  adjacent,  was  among  them; 
and,  as  she  seemed  to  have  the  most  to  lose,  was  observed  in  propor- 
tion. One  of  her  companions  called  out  to  her,  “ There  goes  your 


* “ The  British  advanced  with  five  thousand  infantry,  a large  body  of  cavalry,  and  fifteen  or 
twenty  pieces  of  artillery.  I lament  our  force  was  too  small  to  save  the  town.  I wish  every 
American  could  have  been  a spectator:  he  would  have  felt  for  the  sufferers,  and  joined  to  revenge 
the  injury.”  — Letter  of  General  Greene,  Springfield,  24 th  June,  1780:  Sparks’  “ Washington's 
Writings,"  vol.  vii.  pp.  506-8. 


33 


beautiful  new  bouse  1 ” — “ Well,  let  it  go,”  said  she:  “we  can  live 
in  the  shop.”  In  a few  moments  after,  — “ There  goes  the  shop  too!” 
“Well,  let  it  go:  they  can’t  burn  the  ground  it  stands  on;  and 
here’s  wood  enough  to  build  another,  when  they  are  all  beaten 
and  driven  away.”  Such  was  the  spirit  that  animated  the  women 
of  that  day ; among  whom  it  was  a common  saying,  that,  “ if  the 
men  became  tired  of  fighting,  the  women  would  turn  out,  and  take 
their  places.” 

The  death  of  Mrs.  Caldwell  has  been  the  subject  of  history ; but 
the  fate  of  Mr.  Caldwell  is  not  so  generally  known.  My  parents  had 
been  his  parishioners  in  Elizabethtown,  and  were  strongly  attached 
to  them  both  ; and,  as  this  appears  an  appropriate  place,  I shall  here 
conclude  their  sad  story. 

Two  years  after  the  burning  of  Springfield,  when  negotiations 
for  peace  were  pending,  the  inhabitants  of  Elizabethtown  began  to 
return  to  their  deserted  homes.  Mr.  Boudinot  and  his  family  left 
Baskinridge,  and  Mr.  Caldwell  resumed  his  pastoral  charge.  At  this 
time  it  was  known  that  Mrs.  and  Miss  Murray,  ladies  of  a Quaker 
family,  had  made  great  exertions  for  the  relief  of  American  prisoners 
in  New  York  ; and  when  a boat  with  a flag  of  truce  came  thence  to 
Elizabethtown,  and  it  was  understood  that  Miss  Murray  was  among 
the  passengers,  her  name  was  universally  hailed  with  gratitude  and 
respect.  There  was  a contest  among  the  inhabitants,  who  should  go 
down  to  the  landing  to  do  her  honor  and  service. 

Mr.  Caldwell,  with  that  zeal  which  marked  his  character,  insisted 
on  being  one  of  the  number ; although  his  friends  suggested  he  might 
incur  danger.  A flag  of  truce  rendering  the  perpetration  of  violence 
incredible,  he  went  to  the  boat  ; but  found  the  lady  had  already 
landed,  and  gone  to  the  house  of  her  friend  Mr.  Ricketts.  He  put 
out  his  hand  to  take  a packet,  accidentally  left  by  Miss  Murray,  from 
the  captain,  when  he  was  shot  by  a man  concealed  on  board,  who 
confessed  he  had  vowed  to  kill  Mr.  Caldwell,  and  had  waited  for  an 

5 


34 


opportunity  many  years.  Every  one  was  struck  with  horror  at  this 
violation  of  the  laws  of  civilized  warfare.  The  inhabitants  of  Eliza- 
bethtown, at  first,  would  not  believe  that  this  act  of  treachery  had 
not  been  perpetrated  by  design ; but  the  captain  of  the  boat,  and  all 
on  board,  disclaimed  any  knowledge  of  the  man’s  intentions.  The 
truth  of  their  assertion  was  confirmed  by  their  delivering  the  assassin 
up  to  the  punishment  he  deserved,  and  by  the  man  himself,  who 
gloried  in  the  deed  he  had  committed. 

This  event  produced  a great  sensation.  My  mother  and  my 
brothers  went  down  to  Elizabethtown  to  the  funeral  of  Mr.  Caldwell ; 
which  took  place  from  the  house  of  his  friend  Mr.  Boudinot,  and  was 
attended  by  all  the  people  in  the  country  far  and  near.  A funeral 
sermon  was  preached  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  MacWhorter,  of  Newark,  from 
the  appropriate  text  in  Ecclesiastes,  “But  there  is  no  discharge  in 
this  war.” 

Public  and  private  sympathy  was  greatly  excited  for  the  chil- 
dren of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Caldwell,  deprived  by  such  calamitous  events 
of  both  their  parents.  I Avas  acquainted  with  each  of  them,  as 
they  were  adopted  into  different  families  among  the  friends  of  my 
mother.  Mr.  Boudinot  was  their  chief  patron.  By  his  care,  the 
certificates  for  payments  due  to  Mr.  Caldwell  for  service  in  the  Ame- 
rican Army  were  preserved  and  put  out  at  interest  until  the 
youngest  child,  the  infant  Mrs.  Caldwell  held  when  she  received 
the  fatal  shot,  came  of  age ; and  a considerable  sum  was  then  divided 
among  them.  Such  Avas  the  general  interest  in  this  family,  that  the 
eldest  son  Avas  adopted,  and  taken  to  Prance  for  his  education,  by 
the  Marquis  de  Lafayette.  At  the  commencement  of  the  French 
Revolution,  he  was  sent  back  to  America ; and,  to  the  great  distress 
of  his  friends,  returned  a Roman  Catholic.  But,  at  his  age,  there 
Avas  little  difficulty  in  reconverting  him  to  the  religious  opinions  of 
his  father.  Another  of  these  children,  Elias  B.  CaldAvell,  is  now 
(1821)  Attorney  for  the  District  of  Columbia. 


35 


The  revolt  of  the  Pennsylvania  line  occurred  in  January,  1781. 
The  soldiers,  driven  to  desperation  for  want  of  food,  clothes,  and  pay, 
determined  to  march  to  Philadelphia,  and  force  Congress  to  redress 
their  grievances.  One  of  the  officers,  in  attempting  to  suppress 
the  mutiny,  was  killed,  and  others  wounded.  Obliged  to  fly  from 
their  camp  at  Morristown,  several  took  refuge  at  my  father’s  resi- 
dence in  Baskinridge.  Captain  Christie  was  the  first  who  rushed 
into  the  house,  gave  intelligence  of  the  revolt,  and  begged  to  be 
secreted  from  the  soldiers  he  feared  were  on  his  track.  He  was 
accordingly  concealed  till  the  danger  was  past.  My  parents  were 
terrified,  and  it  was  apprehended  that  the  troops  would  go  over  to 
the  British  ; but  this  fear  proved  groundless,  and  the  termination 
of  this  rebellion  is  recorded  in  history. 

In  February,  1781,  the  several  States  agreed  to  Articles  of  Con- 
federation. The  completion  of  this  important  compact,  which  it  was 
hoped  would  preserve  the  Union  until  a more  efficient  system  could 
be  adopted,  was  the  last  event  in  favor  of  American  independence 
which  my  father  was  destined  to  witness.  In  the  final  success  of 
the  cause  of  his  country,  for  which  he  had  undergone  many  suffer- 
ings and  sacrifices,  he  did  not  live  to  rejoice. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


In  the  spring  of  1781,  my  brother  John  Morton,  with  a classmate 
from  Princeton,  was  passing  a college  vacation  at  Baskinridge  with 
his  parents,  whose  family  then  consisted  of  their  youngest  son  Clarke 
Morton,  and  their  domestics.  All  had  retired  for  the  night,  when 
they  were  amused  by  a number  of  armed  men  forcibly  breaking  open 
the  front  door  of  the  house. 

Their  chief,  whose  face  was  blackened,  and  disguised  by  a hand- 
kerchief tied  round  the  head  and  brought  down  to  the  eyes,  first 
demanded  all  their  keys  and  gold  watches.  A bayonet  was  presented 
at  every  window  or  door,  when  escape  Avas  attempted ; and,  thus 
surrounded,  submission  Avas  unavoidable.  My  father  was  much  indis- 
posed; and  into  his  apartment,  all  the  family,  with  the  exception  of 
his  son  John  Morton,  were  thrust,  and  a sentinel  placed  at  the  door. 
They  soon  perceived  a stranger  Avas  among  them,  and  at  first  sup- 
posed him  to  be  one  of  the  robbers ; but  his  terror  and  exclamations 
soon  proved  he  was  a prisoner  like  themselves.  He  said  he  was  a 
militia-man  who  had  been  out  on  duty.  As  he  Avas  returning  home, 
he  met  the  party  then  in  the  house,  Avho  had  captured  him,  and  put 
him  under  guard  to  prevent  him  from  giving  an  alarm. 

From  the  conduct  of  the  intruders,  there  Avas  cause  to  suppose 
that  among  them  Avere  persons  well  acquainted  with  the  arrange- 
ments of  Mr.  Morton.  They  first  Avent  to  a closet  Avhere  his  money 


and  valuable  papers  were  deposited  in  an  iron  cliest,  as  was  the 
custom  at  that  period.  It  contained  thirty  pounds,  in  gold  and  silver, 
which  he  had  just  received  as  part  payment  for  his  house  in  Elizabeth- 
town. A report  had  been  spread  that  he  had  also  sold  his  estate  in 
New  York,  and  received  a large  sum  for  it. 

Great  disappointment  was  expressed  by  the  robbers  at  not  finding 
more  money ; and  they  swore  they  would  kill  John  Morton,  if  he  did 
not  show  them  where  his  father  had  hid  his  treasure.  They  forced 
him  to  open  all  the  drawers  and  chests ; and  then  took  him  into  the 
cellar,  where  they  thought  money  might  be  concealed,  and  again 
threatened  him  with  death.  As  he  could  tell  them  nothing  more, 
they  again  ransacked  the  house.  Into  large  sacks  which  they  had 
brought  for  the  purpose  they  put  the  wearing  apparel  of  the  family, 
including  twelve  ruffled  shirts  just  completed,  made  of  linen  bought  at 
a high  price  in  Philadelphia.  All  the  plate,  a tea  and  coffee  service,  a 
large  tankard,  and  every  article  of  silver  then  used  in  a gentleman’s 
establishment,  were  also  taken.  A silver  tankard,  which  had  been  used 
the  night  previous  and  left  at  the  kitchen  fire,  blackened  with  smoke 
and  ashes,  the  thieves  mistook  for  pewter ; and  it  alone  escaped.  Out 
of  the  silver  it  contained,  a bowl  and  two  goblets,  marked  with  the  crest 
of  the' Morton  arms  (a  lion  rampant),  were  afterwards  formed,  and 
are  now  in  my  possession. 

After  remaining  two  hours,  the  robbers  departed,  declaring  they 
would  return  and  set  fire  to  the  house,  if  the  family  did  not  remain 
quiet.  Exhausted  by  terror  and  fatigue,  it  was  day-break  before 
they  alarmed  the  neighborhood.  The  traveller  who  had  been  cap- 
tured said  he  had  seen  among  the  trees  near  the  church  a num- 
ber of  horses  fastened,  on  which  the  robbers  undoubtedly  escaped 
with  their  booty.  Their  plan  had  been  well  laid  to  insure  success. 
Contrary  to  the  entreaties  of  his  family,  Mr.  Morton,  though  suffering 
from  illness,  insisted  on  pursuing  the  robbers  with  some  of  his  neigh- 
bors. After  following  several  routes  unsuccessfully,  he  at  length 


38 


got  upon  their  track,  and  pursued  them  to  the  river-side  near 
Newark  ; -where  it  was  supposed  they  took  boat,  and  went  over 
to  New  York. 

After  my  father’s  return  from  this  journey,  fatigue  and  disap- 
pointment brought  on  an  attack  of  apoplexy,  which,  in  one  week, 
terminated  his  life  ; and  his  family  were  plunged  in  deep  afflic- 
tion. My  eldest  brother,  then  a youth  of  nineteen,  a student  at  law 
with  Judge  Patterson  at  Kariton,  had  returned  to  Baskinridge  on 
hearing  of  the  robbery.  The  first  intelligence  of  it,  and  of  the  death 
of  my  father,  was  brought  to  Mrs.  Kemper  by  the  messenger  sent 
for  Washington  and  myself ; and  she  immediately  accompanied  us  home. 
Dr.  Kennedy  performed  the  services  at  the  funeral ; and  the  proces- 
sion, attended  by  a concourse  of  people,  proceeded  to  the  burial- 
ground  on  the  hill,  near  the  church  of  Baskinridge. 

Mr.  Boudinot,  my  mother,  and  my  eldest  brother,  were  appointed 
executors  by  my  father’s  will ; and  the  two  last  fulfilled  the  trust. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kemper  left  Germantown  to  reside  with  my  mother,  and 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Jackson  came  from  Philadelphia  to  visit  her. 

In  September,  my  brother  John  Morton,  on  taking  his  degree  at 
Princeton,  delivered  a valedictory  oration ; and  his  youth  and  deep 
mourning  dress  interested  and  affected  his  audience.  From  this 
time,  my  eldest  brother  resided  at  home ; and,  by  his  kindness  and 
attention,  gained  my  affection,  and  led  me  to  regard  him  as  a 
father. 

Among  the  books  brought  from  New  York  by  my  mother  were 
“ Dodsley’s  Collection  of  Poems,”  the  “Wonders  of  Nature  and  Art,” 
and  the  “ Yicar  of  Wakefield.”  These  I read  and  re-read,  until  I 
almost  committed  them  to  memory. 

In  “ Dodsley’s  Collection  of  Poems,”  I first  read  Gray’s  “ Elegy  in 
a Country  Churchyard ; ” and  my  fancy  was  struck  with  its  beauties, 
although  many  of  the  ideas  and  images  were  to  me  obscure.  Yet 
others  were  made  plain  and  familiar  by  my  spelling  out  the  inscrip- 


39 


tions  and  texts  on  the  “ frail  memorials  ” erected  on  the  hill,  in  the 
churchyard,  in  which  I often  wandered.  The  “ uncouth  rhymes  and 
shapeless  sculpture  ” I there  beheld  exactly  answered  the  description 
of  the  poet. 

“ Paradise  Lost  ” and  “ Paradise  Regained  ” were  also  among  our 
books ; but  I cannot  boast,  with  Mrs.  Grant  of  Laggan,  that  I under- 
stood them,  with  the  exception  of  a few  passages.  I was  touched 
by  the  allusion  to  Milton’s  blindness,  because  it  reminded  me  of  the 
situation  of  my  grandfather  Mr.  Kemper,  who,  during  his  residence 
at  Germantown,  had  become  suddenly  blind ; and  also  by  the  lamen- 
tation of  Eve  on  leaving  Paradise  and  her  flowers.  The  rest  of  the 
poem  was  dark  and  unintelligible. 

“ Pilgrim’s  Progress  ” was  a great  favorite.  The  Celestial  City, 
and  the  Shining  Ones  who  welcomed  Christian  and  Christiana  with 
their  children,  I preferred  to  Milton’s  sublime  descriptions  of  heaven, 
and  the  angels  Michael  and  Gabriel.  Mr.  Greatheart  was,  in  my 
opinion,  a hero,  well  able  to  help  us  all  on  our  way ; and  I trusted  to 
his  good  assistance.  I also  read  the  “ Holy  War,”  and  was  much 
interested  in  the  good  town  of  Mansoul. 

The  works  of  Shenstone,  Thomson,  and  Lyttelton,  I admired ; but 
those  of  Goldsmith  were  my  chief  delight,  especially  “ The  Vicar  of 
Wakefield,”  which  continues  to  justify  the  choice  of  my  early  years 
by  the  pleasure  which  the  exquisite  sweetness,  simplicity,  and  pathos 
of  the  style  still  afford  me.  My  taste  was  thus  formed  by  the  best 
authors,  and  I learned  to  appreciate  their  works  before  I was  aware 
of  their  comparative  value  ; and,  when  my  reading  beeame  afterwards 
more  extensive,  I instinctively  disliked  the  extravagant  fictions  which 
often  injure  the  youthful  mind. 

In  August,  1781,  the  French  Army  passed  through  Baskinridge, 
on  their  way  to  Yorktown  in  Virginia.  They  halted  opposite  our 
house  to  refresh  the  soldiers  at  the  spring,  while  the  officers  were 
entertained  within.  Our  family  were  all  in  raptures  at  the  sight  of 


40 


their  new  allies  coming  to  fight  their  battles  and  insure  victory. 
Every  one  ran  to  the  doors  and  windows,  except  Mrs.  Kemper,  who 
retired  to  her  apartment  with  my  grandfather.  The  cruel  conduct  of 
the  French  soldiers  in  Germany  could  not  be  forgotten  by  these 
emigrants  from  their  “ father-land.”  They  refused  to  be  comforted, 
and  bewailed  with  tears  the  introduction  of  these  allies. 

In  1783,  peace  was  concluded,  and  our  family  removed  to 
Elizabethtown.  Friendly  intercourse  between  families  of  different 
politics  was  now  renewed.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Chandler,  the  Episcopal 
minister,  and  his  son,  had  served  in  the  British  Army,  and  were 
obliged  to  go  away ; but  my  mother  was  intimate  with  his  wife  and 
daughters. 

At  this  time,  my  mother  went  to  New  York  with  a pass  from  the 
Commander-in-Chief,  Sir  Guy  Carleton,  obtained  by  her  friend  Mrs. 
Smith,  whose  husband  was  Chief  Justice  under  the  Crown.  We 
passed  a fortnight  with  my  mother’s  aunt  Mrs.  Hoffman  (Catherine 
Ernest).  With  her  husband  and  her  youngest  children,  she  was  acci- 
dentally detained  in  New  York,  in  1775,  until  the  time  of  departure 
was  gone  by  ; and  was  not  allowed  by  the  British  authorities  to  follow 
her  eldest  son  and  daughter,  who  had  gone  to  Elizabethtown  to  pre- 
pare for  the  reception  of  their  family.  Mr.  Hoffman  was  accused  of 
being  favorable  to  the  American  cause,  and  was  imprisoned  as  a rebel 
by  the  Hessian  officers.  An  illness,  caused  by  his  sufferings,  ended 
in  his  death  ; and  he  never  saw  his  family  united  again.  His  widow 
remained  in  New  York : her  daughter  was  married  in  Morristown ; 
her  eldest  son  had  entered  the  American  Army ; and,  at  the  time  of 
our  visit,  she  resided  alone  with  her  youngest  son,  Christian  Hoffman. 
Her  house  stood  in  Broadway,  (how  different  from  the  Broadway  of 
the  present  day !)  nearly  opposite  the  City  Tavern,  which  was  a two- 
story  house,  plastered  over  and  whitewashed,  but  dingy  and  dilapi- 
dated. The  street  was  only  half  built  up,  the  houses  of  every  shape 
and  size.  Trinity  Church,  and  a church  where  Grace  Church  now 


41 


stands,  were  heaps  of  ruins.  The  British  never  injured  Episcopal 
churches  ; but  these  had  been  accidentally  burnt  during  the  war. 
There  was  but  one  good  house  above  St.  Paul’s  : all  beyond  was  a 
square  open  space,  called  “ the  Fields,”  built  round  with  low, 
wooden,  ordinary  houses,  — the  resort  of  the  negroes  and  soldiers. 
The  Jail,  Workhouse,  and  Alms-house  were  in  this  vicinity.  These 
are  now  superseded  by  the  City  Hall,  of  white  marble  ; and  “ the 
Fields  ” are  converted  into  the  Park,  and  are  ornamented  with  trees. 

Sir  Guy  Carleton  and  his  aids  passed  our  house  every  day.  Many 
of  his  officers  were  quartered  opposite,  at  the  City  Tavern  ; and  their 
evolutions,  and  those  of  the  British  troops,  were  a source  of  great 
amusement  to  me.  My  cousin,  Christian  Hoffman,  often  took  me  to 
see  the  parade  on  the  Battery,  — then  literally  a battery;  the  sides 
towards  the  Bay  broken  into  ramparts,  with  cannon  and  their  car- 
riages. The  view  was  thus  excluded,  except  from  the  ramparts. 
The  interior  was  a parade-ground,  with  barracks  for  the  soldiers.  A 
military  funeral  which  passed  our  house  made  a deep  impression  on 
my  memory.  The  full  band  playing  the  “ Dead  March  in  Saul;  ” the 
funereal  pomp  ; the  slow  and  measured  step  of  the  soldiers  ; the  com- 
mander-in-chief and  his  officers  in  full  uniform  ; the  coffin  of  the 
deceased,  with  his  hat,  gloves,  and  sword ; his  horse,  completely  ac- 
coutred, led  by  his  servant,  his  boots  thrown  across  the  saddle,  — all 
seemed  to  speak  of  the  departed,  and  point  to  his  vacant  place  with 
a solemnity  I had  never  felt  before.  My  cousin  gratified  nry  wish  to 
follow  the  procession  to  St.  Paul’s  Churchyard.  We  passed  through 
the  crowd  to  the  open  railing,  and  he  lifted  me  up  in  his  arms  to 
see  the  ceremony.  I saw  the  chaplain  in  his  gown  and  bands  open 
the  book,  and  read  the  service ; after  which,  the  troops  fired  over  the 
grave. 

The  city  looked  ruinous.  My  mother  took  me  to  our  house  in 
Water  Street,  still  inhabited  by  British  officers  ; and  I saw  Mr. 
Pitt’s  statue,  at  the  corner  of  Wall  and  William  Street.  It  had  lost 

6 


42 


an  arm,  and  was  taken  down  by  the  citizens  on  their  return.  I 
accompanied  my  mother  to  visit  Mrs.  Smith,  the  wife  of  Chief-Justice 
Smith,  who  received  us  very  kindly,  and  brought  in  her  daughter 
Harriet  Smith,  a few  years  younger  than  myself.  “ This  child,”  said 
Mrs.  Smith,  “has  been  born  since  the  Rebellion .” — “Since  the  Revo- 
lution,” replied  my  mother.  The  lady  smiled,  and  said,  “ Well,  well, 
Mrs.  Morton,  this  is  only  a truce,  not  a peace ; and  we  shall  all  be 
back  again,  in  full  possession,  in  two  years.”  This  prophecy  happily 
did'not  prove  true. 

A few  months  afterwards,  on  the  evacuation  of  New  York  by  the 
British,  Mrs.  Smith  accompanied  her  husband  to  Quebec  ; and  he 
became  Chief-Justice  of  Lower  Canada.  His  daughter,  Harriet  Smith, 
married  his  successor  in  office,  Chief-Justice  Sewall,  an  exile  from 
Massachusetts,  and  a grandson  of  Edmund  Quincy;  and  in  1797  I met 
her  again  in  Boston,  at  the  house  of  his  aunt,  Mrs.  Hancock. 

After  my  return  to  Elizabethtown,  I visited  my  friend  Miss  Mason, 
whose  father,  Rev.  Dr.  Mason,  had  taken  our  house  at  Baskinridge 
until  he  could  return  to  New  Yoi'k.  With  her  I revisited  the  scenes 
of  my  childhood,  and  “ the  Buildings,”  where  I saw  the  Miss  Living- 
stons and  other  members  of  Lord  Stirling’s  family.  In  December, 
1783,  we  removed  to  New  York.  The  weather  was  so  remarkably 
mild,  that  we  dined  and  sat  upon  deck.  I shall  never  forget  the 
delight  and  transport,  even  to  tears,  with  which  my  mother  and 
her  friends  returned  to  their  recovered  abodes,  whence  they  had 
been  driven  seven  years  before.  Yet  their  joy  was  chastened  by 
many  sorrowful  recollections  of  those  who  had  gone  out  with  them, 
but  who  did  not  return.  As  Mr.  Seaton,  who  resided  in  our  house, 
could  not  leave  it  immediately,  we  hired  one  in  William  Street  for  a 
year.  My  eldest  brother  opened  an  office  as  a lawyer;  John  Morton 
went  into  a merchant’s  counting-house  ; and  Washington,  Clarke,  and 
myself  were  sent  to  school.  As  all  the  Presbyterian  churches  had 
been  converted  by  the  British  into  barracks,  riding-schools,  or  stables, 


the  congregation  of  Dr.  Rogers,  to  which  my  mother  belonged, 
assembled  in  the  French  church  in  Cedar  Street  until  their  church 
in  Wall  Street  was  finished ; when  the  re-opening  of  their  old  place  of 
worship  was  a day  of  thanksgiving,  almost  as  great  as  that  of  their 
first  return  to  New  York. 

Mr.  Wetzell,  the  husband  of  Christina  Ernest,  took  no  part  in 
politics  ; and,  being  in  good  business,  acquired  property  during  the 
war.  Their  eldest  daughter  had  married  Sebastian  Bowman,  a Prus- 
sian officer  in  the  British  service,  under  General  Gage.  On  his 
marriage,  he  left  the  army,  and  entered  into  business  as  a wine 
merchant.  He  afterwards  espoused  the  American  cause,  and  re- 
ceived a colonel’s  commission.  His  military  knowledge,  and  his  skill 
as  an  engineer,  made  him  very  important ; and  he  was  employed  on 
the  works  at  West  Point,  and  at  the  siege  of  Yorktown.  In  1784, 
when  we  had  returned  to  my  father’s  house  in  Water  Street,  his 
daughter,  Maria  Bowman,  came  to  visit  us.  She  was  a lovely  young- 
woman,  engaged  to  Major  Shaw,  who  had  served  for  seven  years  in 
the  American  Army  as  aid  to  General  Knox.  During  her  visit,  he 
embarked  from  New  York  to  open  commercial  relations  between 
the  United  States  and  China.  They  were  to  be  married  on  his 
return  ; and  I remember  their  parting  at  my  mother’s  house.  Maria 
remained  with  us  ; but  her  health  declined,  and  her  life  was  soon 
terminated. 

Colonel  Bowman  had  returned  to  the  city ; and  her  funeral  from 
his  residence,  through  the  streets  of  New  York,  was  the  only  one  I 
ever  saw  conducted  in  the  same  style.  The  pall  was  supported  by 
six  young  ladies,  dressed  in  white,  with  white  hoods,  scarfs,  and 
gloves,  — emblematic  of  the  character  of  the  young  friend  they  were 
attending  for  the  last  time. 

The  grief  of  Major  Shaw,  on  his  return,  I shall  not  attempt  to 
describe.  By  devoted  attentions  to  Mrs.  Bowman  and  her  family,  he 
gave  convincing  proofs  of  his  attachment. 


44 


On  tbe  adoption  of  the  Federal  Constitution,  Colonel  Bowman 
received  from  General  Washington,  as  a reward  for  his  faithful  ser- 
vices during  the  war,  the  office  of  Postmaster  of  New  York,  which  he 
held  till  his  death.  His  other  daughters  were  estimable  women ; but 
none  of  them  equalled  the  lamented  Maria. 

Mrs.  Wetzell  (Christina  Ernest)  survived  her  husband  and  all  her 
children,  but  was  left  with  considerable  property.  She  died  at  the 
house  of  her  grand-daughter,  Mrs.  Dalle,  who  resided  on  the  Hudson. 
Her- sister,  Mrs.  Hoffman,  sustained  with  Christian  resignation  a series 
of  trials  and  the  loss  of  sight.  She  was  supported  by  an  annuity,  and 
cheered  by  the  kind  attention  of  my  mother  and  other  friends. 

In  1785,  Mi’,  and  Mrs.  Kemper  returned  to  New  York,  to  a 
convenient  house  near  my  mother ; who,  with  their  other  children, 
contributed  every  thing  requisite  to  their  comfort.  A long  life  of 
exertion  was  now  drawing  to  a close,  without  an  adequate  reward 
for  their  industry  and  perseverance ; but  they  never  regretted  their 
emigration  to  America,  where  they  left  their  children  in  the  posses- 
sion of  civil  and  religious  liberty. 

My  grandmother  was  an  excellent  woman,  and  deserves  a tribute 
from  one  she  always  distinguished  by  partial  kindness.  From  my 
earliest  recollection,  her  attention  to  all  my  wants  and  wishes  was  a 
source  of  my  happiness,  and  her  entertaining  and  instructive  conver- 
sation my  delight.  She  often  gratified  me  by  describing  the  cities, 
rivers,  mountains,  and  people  of  the  Old  World,  beyond  the  great  sea 
over  which  she  had  come  through  so  many  dangers  and  with  so  many 
sacrifices.  Often  have  I shed  tears  in  sympathy  with  her,  at  the  sad 
story  of  her  separation  from  all  her  dear  friends,  never  to  see  them 
again  in  this  world.  She  had  a fine  voice,  and  sang  the  German 
hymns  with  a pathos  which  early  charmed  my  ear  with  “ the  music 
of  sweet  sounds.”  But  her  strains  were  always  mournful.  The 
songs  of  Zion,  in  her  native  language,  carried  back  her  thoughts 
from  a foreign  land  to  scenes  beyond  the  world  of  waters,  to  which 


45 


her  heart  always  turned  with  fond  affection.  Maria  Regina  Ernest 
Kemper  died  in  New  York,  in  her  seventy-eighth  year,  Nov.  6, 
1789. 

During  the  five  years  Mr.  Kemper  survived  his  wife,  his  priva- 
tions were  alleviated  by  the  attentions  of  his  children  and  grand- 
children. My  mother  removed  him  to  her  house,  and  was  devoted 
to  his  comfort  and  amusement.  She  read  his  German  books,  and  I 
the  newspapers,  to  him  daily.  He  had  his  national  love  of  music ; 
and  my  piano  was  placed  in  an  apartment  adjacent  to  his  own,  that 
he  might  hear  me  play  and  sing  as  often  as  he  wished.  To  the  last 
days  of  his  life,  he  was  patient,  sensible,  and  resigned ; and,  after  a 
short  illness,  departed,  in  1794,  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven  years. 

Thus  closed  the  lives  of  all  the  first  emigrants  of  our  family  who 
came  from  Germany  to  America. 


CHAPTER  Y. 


In  1784,  I was  sent  with  my  sister  to  a school  kept  by  Miss  Dods- 
worth,  an  Englishwoman.  We  staid  through  the  week,  and  came 
home  to  pass  Sunday.  There  was  no  discipline.  Two  daughters  of 
a British  officer  who  had  gone  away  with  the  troops  were  the  tyrants 
of  the  school.  At  length,  their  father  sent  for  them.  Miss  Dodsworth 
went  also  ; and  with  her  successor  — Miss  Ledyard  of  New  London, 
sister  of  the  celebrated  traveller  — we  were  happy,  and  improved. 
At  the  close  of  the  year,  we  had  what  was  called  “ a breaking- 
up.”  A stage  was  erected  at  the  end  of  a large  room,  covered 
with  a carpet,  ornamented  with  evergreens,  and  lighted  by  candles 
in  gilt  branches.  Two  window  curtains  were  drawn  aside  from 
the  centre  before  it,  and  the  audience  were  seated  on  the  benches 
of  the  schoolroom.  The  “ Search  after  Happiness,”  by  Miss  More ; 
“ The  Milliner  ” and  “ The  Dove,”  by  Madame  Genlis,  — were  per- 
formed. The  characters  were  cast  by  Miss  Ledyard.  In  the  “ Search 
after  Happiness,”  I acted  Euphelia,  one  of  the  court-ladies,  and 
also  sang  a song  intended  in  the  play  for  one  of  the  daughters  of 
Urania ; but,  as  I had  the  best  voice,  it  was  given  to  me.  My  dress 
was  a pink  and  green  striped  silk;  feathers  and  flowers  decorated 
my  head ; and  with  bracelets  on  my  arms,  and  paste  buckles  in  my 
shoes,  I thought  I made  a splendid  appearance.  The  only  time  I 
ever  rode  in  a sedan  chair  was  on  this  occasion,  when,  after  being 
dressed  at  home,  I was  conveyed  in  one  to  Miss  Ledyard’s  resi- 


47 


dence.  Hackney  carriages  were  then  unknown  in  New  York.  My 
friend  Miss  Mason,  and  the  other  girls,  were  all  well  dressed  in  cha- 
racter. In  the  second  piece,  I acted  the  Milliner ; and,  by  some 
strange  notion  of  Miss  Ledyard’s  or  my  own,  was  dressed  in  a gown, 
cap,  handkerchief,  and  apron  of  my  mother’s,  with  a pair  of  specta- 
cles, to  look  like  an  elderly  leoman,  — a proof  how  little  we  under- 
stood the  character  of  a French  milliner.  When  the  curtain  was 
drawn,  many  of  the  audience  declared  “ it  must  be  Mrs.  Morton 
herself  on  the  stage.”  How  my  mother,  with  her  strict  notions  and 
prejudices  against  the  theatre,  ever  consented  to  such  proceedings, 
is  still  a surprise  to  me.  In  “ The  Dove,”  I appeared  as  a young  girl 
in  a garden.  Among  our  auditors  were  Governor  Clinton  and  his 
lady,  whose  daughters  were  among  us.  There  were  also  several 
clergymen,  and  many  of  the  friends  of  the  children ; and  these  pei'- 
formances  were  received  “ with  unbounded  applause.” 

At  this  time  our  estate  in  Water  Street  was  sold,  and  we  removed 
to  a more  eligible  situation  in  Broadway.  Madam  Dwight  of  Stock- 
bridge,  a friend  who  had  passed  many  weeks  at  our  house  before  the 
war,  came  in  1786  to  revisit  us.  The  daughter  of  Colonel  Williams 
of  Williamstown,  she  married  Mr.  Sergeant  of  Stockbridge,  who 
died  in  early  life,  leaving  one  son ; and  his  widow  became  the  wife  of 
Colonel  Dwight,  one  of  the  leading  men  of  Massachusetts  in  his  day. 
Their  children  were  Henry  Dwight,  and  Pamela,  afterwards  Mrs. 
Theodore  Sedgwick.  Madam  Dwight  was  again  left  a widow,  and 
in  1786  was  upwards  of  sixty  years  of  age,  tall  and  erect,  dignified, 
precise  in  manner,  yet  benevolent  and  pleasing.  Her  dress,  of  rich 
silk  ; a high-crowned  cap,  with  plaited  border ; and  a watch,  then  so 
seldom  worn  as  to  be  a distinction,  — all  marked  the  gentlewoman, 
and  inspired  respect.  She  was  a new  study  to  me,  and  realized  my 
ideas  of  Mrs.  Shirley  in  “ Sir  Charles  Grandison  ” and  other  characters 
I had  read  of  in  works  of  fiction.  When  she  returned  home,  she  asked 
me  to  accompany  her ; and,  to  my  great  joy,  her  request  was  complied 


48 


with.  We  went  up  the  Hudson  in  a sloop,  in  which  we  were  the  only 
passengers.  The  vessel,  the  noble  river,  and,  above  all,  the  High- 
lands, excited  my  wonder  and  delight.  Our  captain  had  a legend  for 
every  scene,  either  supernatural  or  traditional,  or  of  actual  occurrence 
during  the  war ; and  not  a mountain  reared  its  head,  unconnected  with 
some  marvellous  story.  The  hills  reverberated  the  sound  of  the  guns 
he  fired  ; and  one  of  his  men  played  on  the  flute,  and  awoke  the  gentle 
echoes. 

All  this  was  enchanting  to  me.  We  were  nearly  a week  on  the 
Hudson  befoi’e  we  arrived  at  Kinderhook,  twenty  miles  below  Albany  ; 
where  we  visited  the  family  of  Mr.  Yan  Schaick,  a house  of  good  old- 
fashioned  Dutch  hospitality  and  wealth.  There  I saw  the  modes,  life, 
and  manner  of  treating  domestic  slaves,  described  by  Mrs.  Grant  of 
Laggan,  in  her  “ Memoir  of  an  American  Lady.”  The  elderly  men 
and  women  were  very  familiar,  and  exercised  as  much  influence  over 
the  children  of  the  family  as  their  parents  ; yet  they  were  respectful 
and  affectionate  toward  them  and  their  master  and  mistress. 

Three  brothers  of  .the  name  of  Yan  Schaick  resided  near  each 
other.  Two  of  them,  having  no  children,  had  adopted  those  of  their 
brother  and  of  their  sisters,  and  were  regarded  by  them  with  filial 
affection. 

We  staid  at  Mr.  Yan  Schaick’s  till  the  wagon  came  for  us  from 
Stockbridge.  I was  seated  by  Madam  Dwight ; and  we  were  driven 
by  her  grandson,  a son  of  Dr.  Sergeant.  The  distance  was  thirty  or 
forty  miles,  — a day’s  journey.  It  was  twilight  when  we  reached 
Stockbridge.  The  first  thing  that  attracted  my  attention  was  a fish, 
for  a vane,  on  the  steeple  of  the  church.  I said  to  Madam  Dwight, 
“ How  could  they  put  up  a poor  fish,  so  much  out  of  its  own  element  ? 
It  ought,  at  least,  to  have  been  a flying  fish.”  She  seemed  much 
diverted  at  my  remark ; and  repeated  it  to  her  friends,  confessing 
that  she  had  never  thought  of  this  absurdity  herself,  or  heard  it 
observed  by  others.  Dr.  Sergeant,  Madam  Dwight’s  son  by  her  first 


49 


marriage,  resided  in  her  mansion-house ; where  she  retained  the  best 
parlor  and  chamber  for  her  own  use.  He  was  an  excellent  man,  and 
the  most  distinguished  physician  in  that  part  of  the  country.  We 
were  joyfully  received  by  him  and  his  family.  As  I was  fatigued, 
Madam  Dwight  took  me  to  her  room,  and  again  expressed  her  pleasure 
at  having  me  with  her.  I can  never  forget  her  affection  and  kindness. 
Her  precepts  and  example  made  an  indelible  impression  in  favor  of  vir- 
tue and  true  piety.  Her  temper  and  character  formed  a living  mirror, 
which  reflected  an  image  of  such  loveliness  that  my  heart  was  firmly 
hound  to  her.  She  made  me  her  companion,  read  to  me,  and  talked 
to  me  with  the  confidence  of  a friend. 

When,  on  the  morning  after  our  arrival,  the  window-shutters  were 
opened,  the  Yalley  of  the  Housatonic,  softened  by  wreaths  of  vapor  ris- 
ing over  the  mountains  under  the  beams  of  the  rising  sun,  seemed  to  my 
enchanted  vision  like  fairyland.  I exclaimed,  “0  Madam  Dwight!  it 
looks  like  the  Happy  Yalley  of  Abyssinia.  There  is  the  river,  and 
there  are  the  mountains  on  every  side.  Why  did  you  never  tell  me 
of  this  beautiful  view  ? ” My  friend  seemed  surprised  at  my  enthu- 
siasm. Long  familiar  with  the  scene,  she  hardly  realized  its  beauty. 
I became  attached  to  her  grandchildren,  and  passed  several  months 
in  Stockbridge.  Her  daughter,  Mrs.  Sedgwick,  lived  upon  “ the 
Plain,”  as  it  was  called,  in  distinction  to  “ the  Hill,”  where  Dr.  Ser- 
geant resided.  The  church  with  the  fish-vane  was  a mile  from  both, 
— half  way  up  the  hill,  to  reconcile  contending  parties  that  divided 
the  town,  but  without  accommodating  either.  It  was,  however,  in  a 
very  pretty  situation,  — in  a grove  of  pine  trees.  On  Sunday,  I rode 
to  church  on  a pillion,  behind  Patty  Sergeant.  The  family  went  in  a 
wagon$  except  Madam  Dwight,  who  had  her  chaise. 

Dr.  Partridge,  a very  singular  character,  resided  with  his  sister, 
Mrs.  Sergeant.  He  used  to  ride  about  the  country  on  an  old  pacing 
horse  to  visit  his  patients,  with  his  saddle-bags  full  of  medicines. 
In  dress  and  appearance,  he  resembled  a Quaker.  Possessing  some 

7 


50 


property,  and  being  a very  humane  man,  lie  often  gave  advice  with, 
out  fee  or  reward.  Like  Johnson’s  friend  Dr.  Levett, — 

“ His  useful  care  was  ever  nigh, 

Where  hopeless  Anguish  poured  his  groan, 

And  lonely  Want  retired  to  die.” 

Their  spheres  of  action  were  widely  different,  — one  relieving  suffer- 
ing in  the  dark  abodes  of  London ; the  other,  among  the  mountains 
and  valleys  of  a beautiful  country : but  simplicity,  benevolence,  and 
industry  marked  them  both.  To  keep  aloof  from  every  one  at  the 
church,  Dr.  Partridge  constructed  a pew  in  one  corner,  near  the  ceil- 
ing, to  which  he  ascended  by  steps  from  the  gallery ; and  so  great 
was  the  respect  in  which  he  was  held,  that  this  singular  arrangement 
excited  neither  observation  nor  ridicule. 

When  I was  recalled  home,  I parted  from  Madam  Dwight  with 
great  reluctance,  and  she  expressed  equal  sensibility.  She  endea- 
vored to  comfort  me  by  saying  that  she  would  visit  New  York  the 
next  spring,  and  that  I should  return  with  her.  But  she  was  pre- 
vented from  executing  this  intention ; and  when  I revisited  Stock- 
bridge,  in  1792,  my  friend  was  no  more. 

I could  not  consent  to  stay  at  Dr.  Sergeant’s,  where  every  thing 
reminded  me  of  the  loss  I had  sustained ; but  I passed  several  months 
at  Mrs.  Sedgwick’s,  whose  daughters  often  staid  at  our  house  in 
New  York.  The  remembrance  of  Madam  Dwight  yet  awakens  feel- 
ings of  deep  interest  and  gratitude ; and  her  letters,  which  I have 
carefully  preserved,  confirm  my  youthful  impressions  of  her  affection 
and  excellence. 

After  the  Federal  Constitution  was  adopted,  I remember  seeing 
General  Washington  land  on  the  23d  of  April,  1789,  and  make  his 
entrance  into  New  York,  when  be  came  to  take  the  office  of  President 
of  the  United  States.  I was  at  a window  in  a store  on  the  wharf 
where  he  was  received.  Carpets  were  spread  to  the  carriage  pre- 
pared for  him ; but  he  preferred  walking  through  the  crowded  streets, 


51 


and  was  attended  by  Governor  Clinton  and  many  officers  and  gentle- 
men. He  frequently  bowed  to  the  multitude,  and  took  off  his  hat 
to  the  ladies  at  the  windows,  who  waved  their  handkerchiefs,  threw 
flowers  before  him,  and  shed  tears  of  joy  and  congratulation.  The 
whole  city  was  one  scene  of  triumphal  rejoicing.  His  name,  in  every 
form  of  decoration,  appeared  on  the  fronts  of  the  houses ; and  the 
streets  through  which  he  passed  to  the  Governor’s  mansion  were 
ornamented  with  flags,  silk  banners  of  various  colors,  wreaths  of 
flowers,  and  branches  of  evergreen.  Never  did  any  one  enjoy  such 
a triumph  as  Washington,  who,  indeed,  “ read  his  history  in  a na- 
tion’s eyes.” 

On  the  30th  of  April,  when  Washington  took  the  oath  of 
office  as  President  of  the  United  States,  the  ceremony  took  place 
in  the  balcony  of  the  old  Federal  Hall,  as  it  was  afterwards  named, 
which  stood  in  the  centre  of  four  streets.  I was  on  the  roof  of  the 
first  house  in  Broad  Street,  which  belonged  to  Captain  Prince, 
the  father  of  one  of  my  school  companions  ; and  so  near  to  Washington 
that  I could  almost  hear  him  speak.  The  windows  and  roofs  of  the 
houses  were  crowded  ; and  in  the  streets  the  throng  was  so  dense, 
that  it  seemed  as  if  one  might  literally  walk  on  the  heads  of  the 
people.  The  balcony  of  the  hall  was  in  full  view  of  this  assembled 
multitude.  In  the  centre  of  it  was  placed  a table,  with  a rich  cover- 
ing of  red  velvet ; and  upon  this,  on  a crimson  velvet  cushion,  lay  a 
large  and  elegant  Bible.  This  was  all  the  paraphernalia  for  the 
august  scene.  All  eyes  were  fixed  upon  the  balcony ; where,  at 
the  appointed  hour,  Washington  entered,  accompanied  by  the  Chan- 
cellor of  the  State  of  New  York,  who  was  to  administer  the  oath  ; 
by  John  Adams,  the  Vice-President;  Governor  Clinton;  and  many 
other  distinguished  men. 

By  the  great  body  of  the  people,  he  had  probably  never  been 
seen,  except  as  a military  hero.  The  first  in  war  was  now  to  be 
the  first  in  peace.  His  entrance  on  the  balcony  was  announced  by 


universal  shouts  of  joy  and  welcome.  His  appearance  was  most 
solemn  and  dignified.  Advancing  to  the  front  of  the  balcony,  he 
laid  his  hand  on  his  heart,  bowed  several  times,  and  then  retired 
to  an  arm-chair  near  the  table.  The  populace  appeared  to  under- 
stand that  the  scene  had  overcome  him,  and  were  at  once  hushed 
in  profound  silence.  After  a few  moments,  Washington  arose,  and 
came  forward.  Chancellor  Livingston  read  the  oath  according  to 
the  form  prescribed  by  the  Constitution ; and  Washington  repeated 
it,  resting  his  hand  upon  the  Bible.  Mr.  Otis,  the  Secretary  of 
the  Senate,  then  took  the  Bible  to  raise  it  to  the  lips  of  Washington ; 
who  stooped,  and  kissed  the  book.  At  this  moment,  a signal  was 
given,  by  raising  a flag  upon  the  cupola  of  the  Hall,  for  a general 
discharge  of  the  artillery  of  the  Battery.  All  the  bells  in  the  city 
rang  out  a peal  of  joy,  and  the  assembled  multitude  sent  forth  a 
universal  shout.  The  President  again  bowed  to  the  people,  and  then 
retired  from  a scene  such  as  the  proudest  monarch  never  enjoyed. 
Many  entertainments  were  given,  both  public  and  private ; and  the 
city  was  illuminated  in  the  evening.* 

From  this  time,  President  Washington  resided  in  New  York  as 
long  as  Congress  continued  to  hold  its  sessions  in  that  city.  He 
lived  in  a large  house  in  Cherry  Street,  and  always  received  the 
highest  proofs  of  affection  from  the  citizens.  On  one  occasion,  when 
he  was  ill,  I remember  seeing  straw  laid  doivn  in  the  adjacent  streets, 
and  chains  drawn  across  those  nearest  his  house,  to  prevent  his 
being  disturbed  by  carts  and  carriages.  I have  often  seen  him  ride 
through  the  streets  of  New  York  on  horseback,  followed  by  a single 
attendant.  The  people  always  regarded  him  with  attention  and  great 
respect.  What  must  have  been  his  feelings  of  delight  and  gratifica- 
tion on  such  surveys  of  the  city  and  the  country  which  he  had  so 


* The  pi'eceding  pages,  which  describe  the  entrance  and  inauguration  of  Washington,  were 
sent  to  Mr.  Irving,  in  1856,  at  his  request,  by  the  Editor;  and  are  inserted  in  his  “ Life  of 
Washington,”  vol.  iv.  pp.  510,  513,  514,  but  without  reference  to  their  source. 


53 


largely  contributed  to  preserve ! Reviving  commerce,  busy  streets, 
freedom  and  safety,  now  marked  the  places  where  ruin  and  distress 
had  been  inflicted  by  hostile  armies. 

All  the  ladies  in  the  city  visited  Mrs.  Washington.  My  mother 
did  not  take  me  with  her  on  this  occasion,  as  I was  thought  too 
young.  Within  a few  weeks,  Mrs.  Washington  returned  these 
visits  ; and  I remember  her  coming  to  our  house  in  Broadway, 
attended  by  Colonel  Humphreys,  one  of  General  Washington’s  aids, 
who  resided  in  his  family.  I was  then  introduced,  and  kindly 
noticed  by  Mrs.  Washington.  Her  portrait  by  Stuart  is  a good 
likeness.  I do  not  remember  having  seen  General  Washington  in 
private  during  his  residence  in  New  York.  My  mother  did  not 
repeat  her  visit  to  Mrs.  Washington,  and  I was  too  young  to  attend 
her  levees. 

At  this  time,  Oliver  Wolcott  was  appointed  Auditor  of  the  Trea- 
sury, under  Hamilton  ; whom  he  afterwards  succeeded  as  Secretary  of 
that  department.  He  therefore  removed  from  Litchfield  in  Connecticut 
to  New  York,  and  hired  in  Broadway  the  house  which  we  had  quitted 
for  the  one  adjoining.  Mrs.  Wolcott  was  very  lovely  and  amiable,  and 
I soon  became  attached  to  her  and  her  infant.  Being  engaged  in 
important  public  affairs,  Mr.  Wolcott  often  appeared  reserved  and 
abstracted.  I thought  him  cold  and  unsocial,  till,  by  degrees,  he  took 
more  notice  of^me.  When  their  child  was  to  be  christened,  I 
wished  him  to  receive  some  pretty,  romantic  name.  They  talked  of 
Oliver,  which  I disapproved.  One  day,  as  I entered  her  apartment, 
Mrs.  Wolcott  said,  “Well,  Susan,  Mr.  Wolcott  insists  the  baby’s  name 
shall  be  Oliver.”  When  he  came  in,  I said  indignantly,  “ So  you  will 
make  a Roundhead  of  my  little  boy,  after  all  ? ” — “ What  do  you  know 
about  Roundheads,  my  little  saucy  girl  ? ” said  the  grave  Mr.  Wolcott ; 
and  from  that  time  he  was  very  kind  to  me.  He  directed  my  reading, 
cultivated  my  taste,  and,  by  his  conversation,  excited  me  to  render 
myself  a companion  to  him  and  Mrs.  Wolcott. 


54 


Mrs.  Hazard,  who  resided  in  the  house  opposite  ours,  was  also  a 
valuable  friend.  She  was  distinguished  for  the  exquisite  neatness  of 
her  establishment,  and  for  capability  in  every  branch  of  domestic 
economy.  She  had  many  and  excellent  servants  ; but,  in  those  days, 
it  was  usual  for  ladies  to  attend  to  housewifery,  and  she  kindly  gave 
me  much  useful  instruction.  Mr.  Hazard  was  an  antiquarian,  and  the 
author  of  a collection  of  documents  entitled  “ Hazard’s  Collection.” 
He  also  held  the  office  of  Postmaster-General. 

While  Congress  remained  in  New  York,  its  sessions  were  held  in 
the  Federal  Hall.  I was  taken  there,  and  heard  a debate  on  the  pro- 
priety of  their  removal  to  Philadelphia.  Some  of  the  members  who 
spoke  in  favor  of  it  made  very  gallant  speeches,  intended  for  the  ladies 
in  the  gallery.  Though  they  saw  many  fair  reasons  for  remaining  in 
New  York,  the  public  good  required  the  change.  When  this  measure 
was  carried  into  effect,  we  were  deprived  of  both  our  valuable  neigh- 
bors ; and  the  loss  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wolcott  sensibly  affected  my 
happiness. 

My  views  of  life  and  manners  were,  at  this  time,  extended  by  an 
excursion,  with  my  eldest  brother  and  a large  party,  to  Bethlehem  in 
Pennsylvania ; and  afterwards  to  Rockaway,  on  Long  Island,  where 
the  chief  amusements  were  riding  on  horseback,  and  bathing  in  the 
surf,  as  is  now  the  custom  at  Newport.  One  morning,  I was  thrown 
down  by  a high  wave.  The  shock  rendered  me  insensible  ; and  the 
next  would  have  ended  my  life,  had  not  Mr.  Pintard,  one  of  our  party, 
come  to  my  assistance,  and  carried  me  beyond  its  reach. 

On  an  excursion  on  horseback,  I also  escaped  great  danger.  I 
was  mounted  on  a gay  horse,  which  took  fright,  and  ran  away  in  a 
narrow  lane,  bordered  on  each  side  by  a Virginia  fence.  Probably 
from  instinct,  the  horse  ran  in  the  middle  of  the  road.  I kept  my 
seat,  and  had  the  presence  of  mind  to  turn  him  into  a farm-yard ; 
stopped  him,  and  sat  still  until  the  gentlemen  of  the  party  came  up, 
pale  and  terrified,  expecting  to  find  me  dashed  on  the  ground. 


At  Rockaway  I formed  many  new  acquaintances,  and  my  voice 
and  musical  talents  made  me  popular.  There  I met  Mrs.  Atkinson ; 
and,  after  our  return  to  New  York,  I was  introduced  to  her  sister, 
Mary  Storer,  — my  first  Boston  acquaintance. 

In  September,  1790,  Washington  Morton  entered  Princeton  Col- 
lege ; and  I went  to  the  Commencement  of  that  year  with  my  eldest 
brother. 

On  board  the  Elizabethtown  packet  we  met  Mr.  Paul  Trapier  and 
Mr.  Withers  of  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  who  had  just  graduated  at 
Harvard.  We  had  a stormy  passage  across  the  bay,  and  I was  exces- 
sively frightened.  Having  arrived  at  the  ferry-house,  we  were  shown 
into  a room,  where  a venerable  old  man  was  waiting  to  go  over 
to  the  city.  The  moment  I entered,  he  took  off  his  great-coat,  and 
said  to  his  wife,  “ My  dear,  I do  not  go  to  New  York  to-day:  the 
looks  of  that  young  lady  are  enough  to  deter  me.”  This  was  the 
celebrated  General  Gates.  We  passed  two  hours  with  him  and  Mrs. 
Gates,  and  commenced  an  acquaintance,  which  was  afterwards  con- 
tinued in  New  York.  We  then  proceeded  in  our  phaeton,  accompanied 
on  horseback  by  Mr.  Withers  and  Mr.  Trapier,  to  Princeton ; where 
we  staid  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Stockton,  a friend  of  our  family. 

We  attended  Commencement;  and  in  the  evening  I went  to  the 
ball,  where  the  two  gentlemen  from  Charleston,  and  Mr.  W.  Gaston  of 
North  Carolina,  were  among  my  partners.  The  next  morning,  we 
rode  on  horseback ; and,  in  the  afternoon,  went  on  to  Philadelphia. 
We  passed  a week  with  Mrs.  Jackson.  I went  to  many  places  with 
my  brother,  and  visited  Mrs.  Wolcott  every  day. 

In  1787,  the  property  of  our  family  consisted  of  estates  in  the  city 
of  New  York,  the  farm  at  Baskinridge,  many  outstanding  debts,  and 
the  certificates  from  the  Loan  Office.  A question  arose  as  to  the 
expediency  of  selling  either  the  real  estate,  which  was  rising  in 
value  ; or  the  certificates,  which  it  was  the  general  opinion  might 
become  as  worthless  as  the  Continental  paper-money,  by  which  great 


56 


losses  had  been  sustained  by  my  father.  My  eldest  brother  took  the 
responsibility  of  retaining  the  certificates.  The  result  proved  his 
sagacity,  and  was  of  great  advantage  to  his  family.  Soon  after  the 
adoption  of  the  Federal  Constitution,  this  confidence  was  rewarded 
by  the  full  payment  of  all  claims  on  the  United  States. 

The  sale  of  the  real  estate  in  New  York  had  been  previously 
effected,  and  the  proceeds  devoted  to  liquidate  the  claims  of  the  foreign 
correspondents  of  my  father.  In  1775,  no  remuneration  could  be  made 
for  the  merchandise  then  received  by  Mr.  Morton  ; but,  after  the  resto- 
ration of  peace,  full  payment  was  made  of  the  principal  of  all  demands. 
The  interest  during  the  seven  years  of  the  war  was,  of  course,  will- 
ingly abandoned.  Great  satisfaction  was  expressed  with  the  honorable 
conduct  of  the  family  of  Mr.  Morton,  and  his  former  correspondents 
offered  to  sustain  mercantile  relations  with  either  of  his  sons. 

This  was  thought  an  auspicious  opening  for  my  second  brother, 
John  Morton,  who  had  served  an  apprenticeship  with  an  eminent  mer- 
chant of  New  York ; and,  in  1791,  he  went  to  England  with  the  final 
remittances  to  close  the  former  concern,  and  commence  a new  esta- 
blishment for  the  benefit  of  himself  and  his  family.  He  carried  excel- 
lent letters,  and  his  reception  equalled  all  expectations  ; but,  instead 
of  availing  himself  of  these  advantages,  he  spent  his  time  in  travel- 
ling. He  was  amiable  and  affectionate,  but  deficient  in  energy  of 
character.  On  his  return  in  1793,  he  relinquished  business  as  a 
merchant,  and  became  the  editor  of  a newspaper  which  had  a wide 
circulation.  We  removed,  in  1794,  from  Broadway  to  a house  at  the 
corner  of  Pine  and  Water  Streets,  near  his  printing  office ; but  this 
undertaking  was  also  unsuccessful. 

The  succeeding  winter,  my  brother  often  accompanied  my  sisters 
and  myself  to  evening  parties.  Among  the  French  exiles  from  St. 
Domingo,  then  in  New  York,  there  were  very  cultivated  and  accom- 
plished persons,  — the  Viscount  Malartie,  the  Chevalier  d’Olie,  M.  de 
la  Roche,  and  many  others,  with  whom  we  became  acquainted. 


0 I 

At  a concert  and  ball  given  by  these  French  gentlemen,  and  by 
Mr.  Joseph  Smith  and  Mr.  Middleton  of  South  Carolina,  I saw  a young 
Indian,  whom  the  Marquis  de  Lafayette  had  caused  to  be  educated  in 
Paris.  He  played  on  several  musical  instruments ; danced,  fenced, 
and  rode  with  uncommon  elegance ; and  was  a very  handsome  man. 
That  evening  I heard  him  sing  and  play,  and  the  most  fashionable 
ladies  were  his  partners  in  the  dance.  One  month  afterwards,  he 
went  to  visit  his  Indian  relatives,  returned  to  all  the  habits  of  his 
tribe,  and  became  as  true  a son  of  the  forest  as  if  he  had  never  left 
the  woods. 

It  was  on  this  occasion  that  I first  saw  Miss  Catherine  Ludlow. 
She  was  very  lovely  in  person  and  character,  and  my  eldest  brother 
became  her  avowed  admirer.  In  June,  1791,  they  were  married  at 
the  house  of  her  father,  Mr.  Carey  Ludlow,  in  Front  Street,  New 
York;  and,  some  days  afterwards,  saw  company  much  in  the  present 
style.  Mr.  Ludlow’s  mansion  was  spacious,  new,  and  elegant,  with 
doors  of  mahogany,  — the  first  I had  ever  seen.  My  sister  and  myself 
were  bridesmaids,  and  the  scene  was  gay  and  splendid.  Afterwards, 
I accompanied  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morton  on  a journey  to  the  eastern  end 
of  Long  Island.  At  Montauk  Point,  I stood  on  the  last  stone  on  the 
shore,  looking  towards  New  England  ; little  thinking  I should  ever 
become  one  of  her  adopted  daughters. 

On  our  return,  my  brother  took  a house  in  Broadway,  near  the 
Battery ; where  I passed  much  of  my  time,  becoming  attached  to  my 
new  sister,  who  was  very  amiable.  During  the  same  summer,  I accom- 
panied Mrs.  Morton  to  visit  her  aunt,  Mrs.  Smith,  at  Haverstraw,  — a 
beautiful  situation  on  the  Hudson,  among  the  Highlands.  Among 
other  excursions  in  that  vicinity,  we  went  to  Grassy  Point,  after- 
wards the  seat  of  Mr.  Denning,  who  married  the  daughter  of  Mrs. 
Smith. 

At  Haverstraw  I saw  the  desolate  mansion  of  Mr.  Chief-Justice 
Smith,  which  adjoined  the  estate  of  his  brother.  It  was  finely  situated, 

8 


58 


and  built  in  handsome  style ; but,  the  owner  being  a royalist,  his  pro- 
perty had  been  confiscated,  and  his  mansion  was  falling  to  ruin. 

During  these  years,  I passed  part  of  every  summer  at  Princeton, 
in  the  family  of  President  Smith ; and  his  daughter  Frances  returned 
my  visits  in  the  winter.  From  his  society  and  conversation,  and  from 
the  friendship  of  Mr.  William  Johnson  and  Dr.  Elihu  Smith  of  Con- 
necticut, — all  distinguished  for  literature  and  accomplishments,  — I 
derived  great  advantages.  By  the  advice  of  Mr.  Johnson,  I read 
a course  of  history.  His  brother,  Mr.  Seth  Johnson,  was  engaged  to 
Mary  Storer  of  Boston,  the  sister  of  Mrs.  Atkinson.  Miss  Mason 
continued  my  most  intimate  friend,  and  I have  ever  cherished  for 
her  the  warmest  affection.  She  had  great  beauty,  an  amiable  tem- 
per, and  fine  talents.  Her  letters  and  her  poetical  effusions  I yet 
preserve  with  care. 

In  the  autumn  of  1794,  I went  to  Philadelphia,  and  passed  the 
ensuing  winter  with  Mrs.  Jackson.  Mr.  Wolcott  succeeded  Hamilton 
as  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  in  February,  1795 ; and  at  his  house  I 
saw  all  the  eminent  men  then  in  public  life,  — Hamilton,  Ellsworth, 
Pickering,  General  Knox,  and  others  too  numerous  to  mention. 

One  evening  I accompanied  Mrs.  Wolcott  to  Mrs.  Washington’s 
drawing-room,  where  I was  introduced  to  General  Washington,  and 
kindly  noticed  by  him.  The  ladies  were  seated  in  a circle  ; Mrs. 
Adams,  as  lady  of  the  Vice-President,  next  Mrs.  Washington ; and 
the  rest  according  to  rank : while  the  President  and  the  gentlemen 
walked  about,  and  conversed  with  each  other  or  with  the  ladies. 
Mrs.  Peter  of  Georgetown,  a grand-daughter  of  Mrs.  Washington, 
had  just  arrived  in  Philadelphia  as  a bride  ; and  her  sister  Miss 
Custis,  afterward  Mrs.  Lewis,  was  also  present.*  In  a former  visit 
to  Philadelphia,  in  1789,  I saw  Dr.  Franklin  in  the  street,  in  a 
sedan-chair. 


See  Appendix  I. 


59 


At  Mr.  Wolcott’s  I became  acquainted  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George 
Cabot  of  Boston ; and  when  Congress  rose,  and  they  passed  through 
New  York  on  their  return,  they  were  visited  by  my  brother  and 
sister,  and  every  one  was  much  pleased  with  them.  They  spoke  to 
me  of  their  niece,  Anna  Cabot  Lowell ; showed  me  her  letters  ; and 
expressed  a wish  that  I would  come  to  Boston,  and  become  acquainted 
with  her. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


In  July,  1795,  I went  to  Princeton  to  stay  at  President  Smith’s  until 
the  autumn ; hut  in  August  I was  recalled  home  to  accompany  my 
brother  John  Morton  to  Boston.  The  recovery  of  a debt  due  on  Ins 
former  mercantile  concerns  was  the  object  of  his  journey.  I obeyed 
the  summons  with  great  regret  ; being  agreeably  established  at 
Princeton  with  plans  for  the  summer,  which  I relinquished  with 
reluctance  to  go  to  Boston. 

Having  arrived  at  home,  I found  my  brother  had  already  engaged 
our  passage  to  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  on  board  a packet,  for  the 
next  day.  We  had  a pleasant  sail  through  the  Sound  ; touched  at 
Newport;  and,  attended  by  our  servant,  proceeded  to  Boston  in  the 
stage.  The  chief  pleasure  I anticipated  from  this  excursion  was 
that  of  visiting  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  Cabot,  who,  I had  been  informed, 
resided  in  the  environs  of  that  town ; and,  passing  through  Roxbury, 
I selected  the  mansion  of  Judge  Lowell  as  probably  theirs.  As 
we  drove  over  the  Neck,  and  through  the  Main  Street  of  Boston, 
I little  imagined  I was  entering  the  place  of  my  future  residence. 
The  ranges  of  wooden  houses,  all  situated  with  one  end  toward 
the  street,  and  the  numerous  chaises  we  met,  drawn  by  one  horse, 
the  driver  being  placed  on  a low  seat  in  front,  appeared  to  me  very 
singular. 

At  that  time,  Boston,  compared  with  New  York,  was  a small  town. 


61 


There  were  no  bi’ick  sidewalks,  except  in  a part  of  the  Main  Street, 
near  the  Old  South,  then  called  Cornkill.  The  streets  were  paved 
with  pebbles  ; and,  except  when  driven  on  one  side  by  carts  and 
carriages,  every  one  walked  in  the  middle  of  the  street,  where  the 
pavement  was  the  smoothest.  We  drove  to  Mrs.  Archibald’s  boarding- 
house, in  Bowdoin  Square  ; where  we  were  well  accommodated. 
My  brother  engaged  Mr.  H.  G.  Otis  as  his  lawyer.  We  sent  our 
letters  ; and  Mr.  Storer  and  his  sister,  and  many  other  persons, 
called  on  us.  Mary  Storer  was  very  attentive  ; and  I was  with 
her  every  day,  either  at  her  father’s  house  in  Sudbury  Street,  or 
at  that  of  her  brother,  Mr.  George  Storer,  near  Bowdoin  Square. 
The  boarders  at  Mrs.  Archibald’s  were  chiefly  gentlemen,  who  vied 
with  each  other  in  their  civilities.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Craigie  soon  called, 
and  invited  me  to  pass  the  rest  of  my  visit  with  them  at  Cambridge  ; 
and  I accepted  the  invitation  for  the  next  week. 

On  Sunday  morning,  I went  with  Miss  Storer  to  Brattle-street 
Church ; and  was  there  reminded  of  descriptions  of  a former  day  in 
England.  The  broad  aisle  was  lined  by  gentlemen  in  the  costume 
of  the  last  century,  — in  wigs,  with  cocked  hats  and  scarlet  cloaks. 
Many  peculiarities  in  dress,  character,  and  manners,  differing  from 
those  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  were  very  striking  to  me.  In 
the  afternoon,  Mr.  and  Miss  Storer  proposed  to  take  me  to  hear  Mr. 
Kirkland,  a popular  young  clergyman.  They  consulted  where  we 
should  sit,  and  decided  to  go  to  Mr.  Quincy’s  pew.  This  was  the 
first  time  I heard  the  name.  We  proceeded  to  the  New  South 
Church ; and,  after  the  service,  Mr.  Quincy  was  introduced  to  me, 
and,  in  the  evening,  came  to  Mr.  Storer’s.  The  next  morning  he 
called  on  me  and  my  brother  ; and  I heard  the  gentlemen  at  our 
lodgings  speak  in  high  terms  of  his  character,  talents,  and  family. 

The  day  following,  apparently  to  the  disappointment  of  my  friends 
in  Boston,  I accompanied  Mrs.  Craigie  to  Cambridge,  and  was  cordially 
welcomed  to  her  delightful  residence. 


62 


Mr.  Craigie  was  a native  of  Boston.  During  the  war,  he  was 
attached  to  the  medical  staff  of  the  American  Army  ; and  thus  formed 
a friendship  with  Dr.  Jackson  of  Philadelphia,  who  introduced  him  to 
our  family,  in  which  he  became  as  intimate  as  a brother.  After  the 
peace,  he  opened  a large  store,  as  a druggist,  in  New  York  ; and,  by 
successful  speculations  in  United-States  certificates,  accumulated  a 
large  fortune.  He  then  returned  to  Boston,  and  purchased  the  house 
and  estate  of  John  Vassal  — the  head-quarters  of  Washington  — in 
Cambridge.  He  had  recently  married  a beautiful  woman.  His 
establishment  was  complete  and  elegant,  and  he  lived  in  a style  of 
splendor  and  hospitality.  Every  day  there  was  a party  to  dine,  and 
pass  the  evening.  He  expressed  gratitude  for  the  attentions  he  had 
received  from  my  family,  and  was  happy  to  return  them. 

Mrs.  Craigie  evinced  great  interest  in  me,  and  gave  me  her 
opinions  of  her  guests.  Of  Mr.  Quincy  she  spoke  in  the  highest 
terms,  and  said  his  name  was  one  she  had  always  been  taught  to 
honor  and  respect. 

When  Mr.  Craigie  heard  me  say  that  I wished  to  visit  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Cabot,  he  ordered  his  carriage  to  convey  me  to  their  residence 
in  Brookline  ; and  their  pleasure  at  this  unexpected  meeting  was 
equal  to  my  own.  The  next  day  they  came  to  Mr.  Craigie’s,  and 
invited  us  to  dine.  My  brother  accompanied  me  to  Brookline  on  the 
day  appointed,  and  there  I was  introduced  to  Miss  Lowell  and  others 
of  the  Higginson  and  Lowell  families.  Every  affectionate  attention 
was  lavished  on  me  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cabot ; and,  had  my  engagements 
permitted,  I would  have  gladly  passed  some  days  with  them. 

Miss  Lowell  soon  called  at  Mr.  Craigie’s,  and  engaged  me  to  visit 
her  ; and  I met  her  and  other  ladies  at  Fresh  Pond,  at  a party 
given  by  Mr.  William  Sullivan  and  Mr.  Quincy.  With  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Craigie  I passed  a day  at  the  seat  of  Mr.  Barrell,  whose  establish- 
ment exceeded  in  elegance  even  that  of  Mr.  Craigie.  At  his  table 
I saw  Mr.  Balch,  a man  celebrated  for  his  wit  and  humor ; and  heard 


63 


him  tell  some  comic  anecdotes  and  stories.  We  also  dined  at  Charles- 
town with  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Morse  and  their  family.  With  Mrs.  Morse 
I was  previously  acquainted,  as  she  was  a niece  of  Mrs.  Hazard.  I 
passed  some  days  with  Miss  Binney,*  who  resided  at  Watertown  with 
her  step-father,  Dr.  Spring ; and  was  taken  by  her  to  see  Mr.  Lyman’s 
seat  at  Waltham. 

The  time  I spent  with  my  friends  at  Cambridge  was  as  delightful 
as  novelty  and  kind  attention  could  render  it.  I took  leave  of  them 
with  sincere  regret ; and  Mrs.  Craigie  conveyed  me  in  her  carriage 
to  Boston,  where  we  parted  with  mutual  affection.  I passed  the  last 
week  in  Boston  with  Mary  Storer,  at  the  house  of  her  brother,  Mr. 
George  Storer ; and  was  taken  to  see  the  new  State  House,  then  just 
completed,  the  cupola  of  which  I ascended.  We  also  viewed  the 
house  of  Mr.  D.  D.  Rogers  near  it,  then  unfinished.  The  mansions 
of  Governor  Hancock  and  Mr.  Joy,  and  a few  old-fashioned  wooden 
houses,  were  the  only  edifices  beyond  the  State  House.  I went  up 
on  Beacon  Hill,  read  the  inscription  on  the  Monument,  and  walked 
in  “ the  Mall,”  which  at  that  time  I could  not  think  equal  to  “ the 
Battery.”  In  all  these  excursions,  Mr.  Quincy  was  our  constant 
attendant. 

The  afternoon  we  visited  Miss  Lowell  at  Roxbury,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Cabot  made  me  repeat  every  song  I had  ever  sung  to  them  ; and 
insisted  on  my  commencing  a correspondence  with  Miss  Lowell,  and 
forming  a friendship  on  their  account.  The  proposal  was  accepted  ; 
and,  during  her  life,  the  friendship  thus  begun  remained  unaltered. 
Judge  and  Mrs.  Lowell,  with  their  children  and  their  nephews  and 
nieces,  formed  a very  interesting  family-group. 

In  1792,  eight  years  after  the  death  of  my  cousin  Maria  Bowman, 
Major  Shaw  married  Miss  Phillips  of  Boston.  As  his  friends,  our 


* Afterwards  Mrs.  Wallace  of  Philadelphia.  Her  son,  Horace  Binney  Wallace,  was  highly 
distinguished  for  talent  and  intellectual  power. 


64 


family  visited  his  wife  in  New  York,  whence  he  sailed  in  1793  on  a 
last  voyage  to  China;  and  wTe  paid  her  every  attention  in  our  power 
until  she  returned  home.  An  elegant  house  near  Bowdoin  Square 
had  been  built  and  furnished  for  their  residence ; but  Major  Shaw  died 
on  the  homeward  voyage,  and  his  widow  and  friends  suffered  the  loss 
of  one  of  the  most  excellent  of  men. 

In  1795,  Mrs.  Shaw  was  passing  the  summer  in  Dedham,  at  the 
residence  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dowse,  who  were  then  in  England.  Her 
nephew  Mr.  Quincy,  having  discovered  the  intimate  friendship  which 
had  existed  between  my  family  and  Major  Shaw,  informed  her  I was  in 
Boston,  and  brought  Miss  Storer  and  myself  a pressing  invitation  to 
visit  her  at  Dedham,  where  she  gave  us  an  affectionate  welcome.  Mr. 
Quincy,  who  accompanied  us  in  a post-chaise,  insisted  on  returning 
over  Milton  Hill  to  show  me  the  prospect.  The  view  of  his  house 
and  estate  at  Quincy  from  thence  was  probably  his  real  object,  as 
I remember  he  said  that  there  he  placed  all  his  plans  of  happiness. 
During  these  excursions,  I became  much  acquainted  with  Mr.  Quincy. 
All  I heard  of  his  character  tended  to  raise  him  in  my  estimation ; 
and  I left  Boston  with  very  different  views  and  sentiments  from 
those  with  which  I had  entered  it. 

We  returned  to  New  York  by  land,  then  a journey  of  eight  or  ten 
days.  At  New  Haven,  a letter  directed  me  to  repair  to  Long  Island, 
as  an  alarm  from  the  yellow-fever  had  dispersed  our  family.  Ac- 
cordingly, we  crossed  the  ferry  above  New  York  to  Brooklyn,  where 
I was  welcomed  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morton,  who  had  taken  a house 
directly  opposite  the  city ; and  here  I had  time  for  recollection  and 
thought  after  the  fatigue  of  the  journey,  and  the  scenes  of  interest 
through  which  I had  lately  passed.  I could  hardly  determine  how  to 
read  the  page  of  futurity,  which  seemed  to  open  before  me. 

Our  situation  on  the  heights  of  Brooklyn,  commanding  a view'  of 
the  entire  eastern  side  of  New  York,  was  delightful.  I often  spent 
whole  afternoons  sitting  with  my  little  nephews  on  the  banks  of  the 


65 


East  River,  among  the  trees,  looking  over  to  New  York,  which  was 
as  still  as  a city  of  the  dead.  Not  a sound,  not  a motion,  could  he 
observed ; no  smoke  from  a single  chimney,  nor  even  a boat  moving 
near  one  of  the  wharves,  where  all  used  to  be  noise,  bustle,  and  anima- 
tion. After  many  weeks  of  suspense  and  anxiety,  the  city  was  declared 
safe,  and  the  inhabitants  returned.  My  mother  was  soon  re-established 
in  our  house  in  Water  Street.  I went  home,  and  my  brother’s  family 
returned  to  Broadway. 

In  December,  Mr.  Sullivan  and  Mr.  Quincy  arrived,  on  their  way 
to  Philadelphia.  They  received  every  attention  from  my  brothers,  and 
were  much  admired  in  society.  Mr.  Quincy  brought  me  letters  from 
Miss  Lowell  and  Miss  Storer.  They  went  on  to  Philadelphia,  Mr. 
Quincy  intending  to  go  to  South  Carolina : but  he  soon  re-appeared  in 
New  York,  being  called  home  by  the  failure  of  a man  to  whom  part 
of  his  property  had  been  intrusted  ; and,  with  the  probability  that  our 
meeting  again  would  be  deferred  for  a long  time,  I consented  to  a 
correspondence. 

In  the  summer  of  1796,  I went  to  Princeton,  as  my  brother  Clark 
Morton  was  to  take  his  degree.  Mr.  Quincy  came  to  Princeton  at 
Commencement,  and  we  met  frequently  in  society  there  and  in  Phila- 
delphia. I visited  Mrs.  Jackson,  and  accompanied  her  to  Easton; 
where  we  passed  a fortnight  in  the  family  of  Mr.  Sitgreaves,  who  had 
married  my  cousin  Mary  Kemper;  a man  of  fine  talents,  polished  man- 
ners, and  commanding  personal  appearance.  He  resided  many  years 
at  Easton,  in  a beautiful  situation  at  the  confluence  of  the  Delaware, 
the  Lehigh,  and  the  Bushkill,  commanding  a view  of  three  chasms 
in  the  Alleghany  Ridge,  called  the  Delaware  Gap,  the  Lehigh  Gap, 
and  the  Wind  Gap  ; through  which  also  a river  had  evidently  once 
forced  its  way.  We  visited  Bethlehem,  Nazareth,  and  other  places 
of  interest. 


9 


66 


[The  letters  from  which  extracts  are  here  inserted  were  written  at  this  period.] 

Miss  E.  S.  Morion  to  Mrs.  Jackson,  Philadelphia. 

New  York,  Dec.  27,  1795. 

Mr.  Quincy  and  Mr.  Sullivan  of  Boston,  who  offer  to  convey  this 
letter  to  you,  my  dear  aunt,  are  both  generally  admired  in  society. 
Mr.  Sullivan  brought  me  a letter  from  our  friend  Susan  Binney, 
who  expresses  a grateful  remembrance  of  your  kind  attentions 
to  her. 

My  affection  for  you  (one  of  the  first  attachments  of  my  childhood) 
remains  so  intimately  interwoven  with  my  happiness,  that  it  will  be,  I 
trust,  one  of  the  last  I shall  lose.  I delight  to  indulge  in  recollections 
of  the  time  I passed  with  you  last  winter,  — our  morning  conversations 
in  the  nursery,  our  evening  excursions  to  the  theatre,  and  our  discus- 
sions of  what  we  saw  and  heard.  Though  usually  of  the  same  way  of 
thinking,  we  had  great  pleasure  in  comparing  our  opinions.  . . . 

New  York,  Jan.  21,  1796. 

Your  letter  by  Mr.  Johnson,  my  dear  aunt,  is  flattering  to  my 
pride,  and  grateful  to  my  better  feelings.  The  chief  wish  of  my  heart 
has  ever  been  to  gain  the  affection  of  the  good.  It  is  too  proud  to  be 
gratified  by  compliment,  and  can  be  satisfied  only  with  esteem  and 
love.  . . . You  have  pleased  me  by  approving  my  friends,  — a kind 
of  flattery  to  which  we  are  all  open.  I am  ever  disposed  to  like  those 
who  praise  what  I admire. 

That  you  have  discovered  and  distinguished  the  merits  of  Mr. 
Quincy  is  not  surprising ; for  I believe  penetration  and  justice  to  be 
equally  leading  features  of  your  character. 

Tell  Mr.  Sullivan  that  we  are  to  have  a party  at  my  brother’s 
house  to-morrow  evening,  and  that  we  have  been  wishing  he  could  be 


67 


one  of  the  company.  I shall  have  my  despatches  for  Boston  in  readi- 
ness ; for  I apprehend  New  York  will  not  long  detain  him  after 
dazzling  and  being  dazzled  in  the  meridian  of  Philadelphia. 

New  York,  April  18,  1796. 

I cannot  withhold  from  you,  my  dear  aunt,  so  great  a pleasure  as 
that  of  forming  an  acquaintance  with  the  gentleman  who  will  give 
you  this  letter.  He  is  a son  of  Mr.  Copley,  the  celebrated  painter  in 
London,  who  is  an  American.  If  he  should  hand  you  this  letter 
himself,  and  if  you  have  an  opportunity  of  conversing  with  him,  a 
highly  cultivated  mind  and  polished  manners  will  gain  your  appro- 
bation. 

Will  you  do  me  the  favor  to  introduce  Mr.  Copley*  to  Mrs.  Wol- 
cott, and  ask  her  to  like  him  for  my  sake?  . . . 

Your  affectionate 

E.  S.  Morton 


President  Smith  to  Miss  E.  S.  Morton. 

Princeton,  Feb.  27,  1796. 

You  think,  perhaps,  my  dear  Susan,  that  I have  forgotten  my 
promise  of  another  letter ; but  I have  been  assiduously  attending  our 
Legislature  to  gain  from  them  a small  pittance,  which  will  not  answer 
half  the  purpose  for  which  they  granted  it.  It  is  appropriated,  in  the 
law,  to  repair  the  college-buildings,  replenish  the  library,  and  purchase 
a philosophical  apparatus.  But  that  apparatus  alone  would  require  a 
thousand  dollars  more  than  they  have  been  pleased  to  assign.  To 
make  up  this  sum,  I wish  to  write  to  all  those  who  have  graduated 
here  since  I came,  to  request  them  to  beg  a few  dollars  each  in  his 


# Afterwards  Lord  Lyndhurst,  and  Lord  High-Chancellor  of  England. 


68 


neighborhood,  and  send  them  to  me  for  this  purpose.  If  I live,  I am 
resolved,  if  possible,  to  have  in  future  one  of  the  best  apparatuses 
on  the  continent. 

But  Avhy  all  this  detail  to  you  ? Because  I know  you  are  so 
good,  that  you  feel  a sympathy  with  me  in  every  object  which 
interests  me.  . . . 

Alas  the  insult  that  a forward  spark  has  committed  on  my  paper  ! 
If  I were  like  Cowley,  or  some  modern  wits,  I would  say  it  is  an 
emblem  of  the  ardor  with  which  sparkish  beaus  fly  to  the  paper 
which  hears  your  name.  I might  say,  if  I were  a younger  man,  that 
it  is  consumed  only  by  the  warmth  of  my  sentiments.  That  poet  has 
many  conceits  as  forced  as  these  ; and  I have  heard  some  young 
and  flippant  gentlemen  playing  the  gallant,  very  charmingly  as 
they  believed,  with  wit  quite  as  strained.  Your  good  sense,  I am 
convinced,  always  knows  how  to  estimate  the  exuberances  of  a fancy 
much  more  pleased  with  itself  than  with  the  lady  to  which  it  pretends 
to  be  paying  homage. 

I will  not  say  that  the  ardor  of  my  sentiments  burns  my  paper, 
but  assure  you  and  Frances  of  the  affection  of  a father. 

Samuel  S.  Smith. 


Letter  from  Hon.  S.  Sitgreaves. 

Easton,  Pennsylvania,  Oct.  30,  1796. 

Miss  Susan  Morton,  — I cannot  resist  the  desire  I feel  to  offer 
you  the  assurance  of  a friendship,  which,  though  of  recent  growth,  has 
nevertheless  arrived  at  full  maturity.  Prepared  as  I was  to  feel  a 
lively  interest  in  those  dear  to  my  wife,  you  have  inspired  me  with 
an  esteem  which  nothing  could  have  created  but  a personal  know- 
ledge of  the  engaging  qualities  which  have  fascinated  all  who  have 
had  the  pleasure  of  your  society. 


69 


Although  there  are  many  who  have  earlier  pretensions,  I delight 
to  believe  that  your  heart  is  sufficiently  capacious  to  admit  me  to  a 
participation  in  affections  which  none  can  appreciate  more  highly. 
The  cold  and  sordid  regards  of  the  world  are  but  little  estimable  to  a 
discriminating  mind  ; but  life  would  be  deprived  of  its  principal 
charm,  if  it  did  not  offer  us  the  means  of  cultivating  the  good  opinion 
of  the  few  whose  virtues  and  accomplishments  give  value  to  their 
esteem.  Suffer  me,  therefore,  to  persuade  myself  that  I am  among 
the  number  of  your  friends,  and  I shall  harmonize  in  peiffect  good 
humor  with  all  the  letters  of  the  alphabet  from  C to  Q ; or,  if  this 
selection  is  without  a reason,  with  the  whole  series  from  A to  Z. 

We  prolong  the  pleasure  you  permitted  us  to  enjoy,  by  renewing 
the  walks  we  took  together,  by  conversing  of  you  round  our  evening 
fire,  and  by  anticipating  the  time  when  we  hope  you  will  again  wind 
with  us  the  meanders  of  the  Bushkill,  or  climb  the  steeps  which 
impend  over  its  margin ; and  we  trim  the  vine  that  it  may  yield  the 
wild  grapes  in  perfection,  while  you  shall  repose  under  its  shade,  and 
read  your  favorite  poet  on  the  banks  of  the  Delaware.  . . . 

Believe  me,  with  true  attachment,  your  friend, 

S.  SlTGREAVES. 


Miss  Lowell  to  Miss  E.  S.  Morton,  New  York. 

% 

Boston,  Jan.  6,  1797. 

My  dear  Frieyd,  — The  promise  your  last  letter  contained,  of 
writing  another  by  Mr.  Copley,  was  not  the  least  pleasing  of  its  con- 
tents ; but  the  society  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia  have  charms  so 
seductive,  that  I fear  it  will  be  long  before  he  returns  to  us.  The 
quickness  of  feeling,  and  susceptibility  of  pleasure,  which  are  striking- 
traits  in  that  gentleman’s  character,  are  the  occasion  of  his  forming- 
frequent  and  warm  prepossessions ; and,  wherever  he  goes,  will  create 


70 


him  friends  he  will  find  it  hard  to  leave.  Regret,  however,  in  such 
minds,  is  seldom  a lasting  sentiment;  since  new  objects  of  interest 
easily  supply  the  place  of  those  separated  by  absence.  Of  Mr.  Quincy 
I should  say  much : for  he  has  won  me  by  entreaty,  and  bribed  me  by 
flattery  and  attention ; and  all  this  that  I may  say  handsome  things  of 
him  to  you.  But  Mr.  Quincy  is  so  much  better  qualified  to  recom- 
mend himself,  that  I enter  upon  my  office  with  real  diffidence. 
Indeed,  of  all  his  excellences,  I shall  only  at  this  time  notice  one : it 
is  a just  and  delicate  taste  in  the  selection  of  his  female  friends.  I 
am  aware  of  the  apparent  vanity  of  the  last  remark ; but  it  will  be 
softened  when  I add,  that  Mr.  Quincy  never  distinguished  me  as  a 
favorite  until  he  knew  me  as  your  friend.  Since  I returned,  I have 
met  him  only  twice  in  public,  and  then  we  had  but  one  subject.  I 
cannot  do  justice  to  his  manner  of  treating  that.  By  the  ladies  here, 
he  is  charged  with  coldness  and  indifference ; but  certainly  I some- 
times touch  a string  which  vibrates  to  sensations  very  opposite  to  those 
of  apathy.  Last  evening,  he  was  unusually  animated;  and,  indeed,  a 
very  brilliant  assembly,  where  every  face  wore  a smile  of  satisfaction, 
was  sufficient  to  inspire  every  one.*  . . . 

Your  friend,  A.  C.  Lowell. 


Letter  from  Mrs.  Wolcott  to  Miss  LJ.  S.  Morton. 

p 

Philadei.phia,  April  18,  1797. 

After  so  long  a silence,  how  shall  I make  my  dear  Susan  sensible 
of  the  pleasure  her  last  charming  letter  gave  me  ? Until  you  become 
a wife  and  the  mistress  of  a family,  you  cannot  sufficiently  realize 


* Mr.  Copley  (Lord  Lyndhurst)  and  Mr.  Quincy,  mentioned  in  the  preceding  letters,  were 
both  born  in  Boston,  Massachusetts,  in  1772.  After  holding  various  high  offices,  they  survive 
in  1861,  in  full  possession  of  their  mental  powers,  and  correspond  with  each  other  across  the 
Atlantic. 


71 


why  I do  not  oftener  employ  my  pen  in  testimonies  of  regard  to  my 
absent  friends.  ...  I hope  to  be  one  day  a witness  of  a scene 
of  domestic  felicity  which  I have  planned  for  you,  which  I think 
you  in  every  respect  qualified  to  adorn,  to  render  happy,  and  to 
enjoy ; and,  were  it  to  be  measured  by  my  wishes,  would  be  all  that 
is  truly  good  in  this  world,  joined  to  the  most  well-founded  hopes  of  a 
happy  hereafter.  I fear  I am  growing  too  serious,  and  will  only  add 
that  your  image  ever  presents  itself  to  my  mind  among  those  who 
share  my  most  tender  love  and  solicitude  for  their  happiness.  . . . 

Mr.  Wolcott  requests  me  to  offer  to  you  the  continuance  of  his 
highest  esteem.  Congress  will  soon  meet,  which  will  increase  his  bur- 
thens, and  my  cares  and  solicitude. 

Your  affectionate  Eliza  Wolcott. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


In  May,  1797,  Mr.  Quincy  came  again  to  New  York.  His  mother, 
who  had  a large  and  elegant  house  in  Pearl  Street,  Boston,  proposed 
that  our  engagement  should  be  fulfilled,  and  that  we  should  reside 
with  her  ; and  this  offer  was  gratefully  accepted. 

The  regret  of  my  family  at  the  prospect  of  my  removal  to  a dis- 
tance was  tempered  by  the  confidence  with  which  they  intrusted 
my  happiness  to  such  a friend.  When  our  arrangements  were 
completed,  President  Smith  came  from  Princeton  to  perform  the 
ceremony  of  our  marriage  ; which  took  place  at  my  mother’s  house 
in  Water  Street,  New  York,  on  the  6th  of  June,  1797.  The  only  per- 
sons present  on  that  occasion,  besides  my  own  family,  were  my  uncle 
Daniel  Kemper,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dowse  of  Boston,  and  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Rogers  of  New  York. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morton,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dowse,  and  Washington  Mor- 
ton, accompanied  us  to  Haerlem,  where  we  dined  ; and  there  I parted 
with  my  eldest  brother,  whom  I had  long  regarded  as  my  chief  pro- 
tector, and  entered  on  untried  scenes  of  life  with  another  guardian. 
Every  thing  was  new  to  me  in  prospect.  I had  never  seen  Mr. 
Quincy’s  mother  or  any  of  his  relatives,  except  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Storer, 
Mrs.  Shaw,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dowse  ; but,  secure  in  the  worth  and 
disinterested  attachment  of  him  to  whom  I was  now  united,  I felt  no 
fears,  no  apprehensions. 


73 


We  travelled  pleasantly  in  a private  carriage  and  four  ; and 
reached  Marlborough,  Massachusetts,  on  the  evening  of  the  eighth 
day  of  our  journey.  The  next  morning,  Mr.  Quincy  went  to  inform 
Mrs.  Ann  Quincy,  the  widow  of  his  grandfather ,*  of  our  arrival.  Our 
reception  from  her,  and  from  her  son-in-law  and  daughter,  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Packard  and  his  wife,  with  whom  she  resided,  was  all  that  affec- 
tion could  dictate.  At  noon,  we  saw  a carriage  approach,  which 
brought  Mr.  Quincy’s  mother,  accompanied  by  his  cousins,  Miriam 
Phillips  and  Hannah  Storer,  whom  she  had  selected  as  appropriate 
attendants  on  her  new  daughter. 

Mrs.  Quincy  was  then  fifty-three  years  of  age,  still  retaining 
traces  of  great  personal  beauty,  with  a fine  expression  of  counte- 
nance, and  cordial  and  graceful  manners.  Her  dress  united  richness 
and  elegance  with  propriety  and  taste.  I was  much  agitated  at  the 
thought  of  this  meeting  ; but  from  the  moment  I saw  her,  and 
received  her  first  welcome  and  embrace,  I felt  at  ease,  and  sure  that 
we  should  promote  each  other’s  happiness.  Mr.  Quincy’s  satisfaction 
was  complete  when  he  beheld  me  with  his  mother,  and  surrounded  by 
approving  friends. 

The  next  day,  we  had  a very  gay  journey  to  Boston  in  the  carriage 
with  Mrs.  Quincy  and  her  companions  ; sending  our  luggage  by  the 
one  which  had  brought  us  from  New  York.  We  drove  over  Cam- 
bridge Bridge,  and  through  Boston  to  the  residence  of  Mrs.  Quincy 
in  Pearl  Street,  where  she  again  welcomed  me  to  her  home.  In 
the  afternoon,  Miss  Lowell  came,  delighted  to  receive  me  as  an  inha- 
bitant of  Boston ; and,  with  Miss  Storer  and  Miss  Phillips,  remained 
several  days.  These  ladies  acted  as  bridesmaids,  though  we  did 
not  receive  company  in  formal  style.  The  nearest  relatives  of  Mr. 
Quincy  had  been  invited  for  the  evening.  They  were  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Storer ; Mr.  and  Mrs.  Phillips,  with  their  families  ; Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jona- 


Josiah  Quincy  of  Braintree,  Massachusetts. 
10 


74 


than  Mason  and  their  parents ; Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Powell  and  Miss 
Anna  Powell ; Mr.  and  Mrs.  Daniel  D.  Rogers ; Mrs.  J.  Powell  and 
Miss  Bromfield  ; Mr.  John  Phillips ; and  many  others,  whose  names 
I cannot  enumerate. 

The  next  day  we  saw  company,  morning  and  evening ; and  Mrs. 
Quincy  and  Miss  Lowell  were  much  amused  by  my  observations  on 
the  characters,  manners,  and  dress  of  the  variety  of  persons  who 
visited  us.  Some  of  the  old  gentlemen  especially,  when  introduced 
for  the  first  time,  appeared  to  me  very  singular. 

For  several  weeks  we  were  continually  engaged,  as  many  parties 
were  made  for  us.  We  frequently  visited  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cabot, 
and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Craigie ; were  invited  to  their  houses : and 
they  were  entertained  in  return,  in  the  most  elegant  stjde,  by  Mrs. 
Quincy.  The  whole  summer  passed  in  agreeable  excursions  and 
engagements. 

At  the  Commencement  of  1797,  the  first  I ever  attended  at  Har- 
vard College,  we  dined  at  Mr.  Craigie’s,  in  Cambridge,  with  more 
than  a hundred  guests.  I corresponded  constantly  with  my  own 
family ; and  Miss  Lowell,  who  visited  New  York  in  the  autumn, 
gratified  them  highly  with  an  account  of  my  reception  and  situation 
in  Boston. 

Mary  Storer,  who  had  married  Mr.  S.  Johnson  of  New  York  the 
year  previous,  often  adverted  to  our  unexpected  change  of  residence. 
Accompanied  by  my  sister,  she  came  to  Boston  in  September.  Mrs. 
Quincy  spent  several  weeks  with  Mrs.  Dowse,  at  Dedham,  at  this 
time,  to  leave  us  in  full  possession  of  her  establishment.  Miss  Binney 
and  Miss  Foster,  the  niece  of  Mr.  Craigie,  passed  some  days  with  us ; 
and  our  engagements  were  constant  during  my  sister’s  visit.  After 
her  return  to  New  York,  Mrs.  Quincy  came  home  ; and  we  were  con- 
stant companions  during  the  winter.  I learned  from  her  all  the 
circumstances  of  her  past  life ; her  attachment  and  marriage  to 
her  husband ; his  character,  his  rank  in  his  profession,  and  his 


10 


devoted  patriotism ; all  that  she  had  suffered  during  his  illness  and 
absence,  and  by  his  death  on  his  voyage  from  England,  within  sight 
of  the  American  shore.  After  this  irreparable  loss,  it  had  been 
the  object  of  her  life  to  render  their  son  worthy  of  his  name  and 
family. 

We  read  together,  and  found  a coincidence,  as  delightful  as  it  was 
uncommon,  in  our  views  on  every  subject.  By  nature,  and  habits  of 
thought  and  action,  we  seemed  formed  for  each  other.  I felt  myself 
appreciated  by  a woman  who  deserved  all  my  respect  and  admiration  ; 
and  we  drew  many  plans  for  the  future,  in  which  we  were  always  to 
be  united.  Her  son  contemplated  with  delight  our  affection  and 
friendship ; but  a cloud  arose  over  this  fair  prospect.  The  health  of 
Mrs.  Quincy  gradually  declined.  She  at  length  consented  to  consult 
a physician,  and  every  effort  was  made  for  her  restoration. 

In  the  spring  of  1798,  we  were  made  happy  by  the  birth  of  an 
infant ; and  our  mother  was  as  much  interested  in  the  event  as  our- 
selves. Three  days  afterwards,  my  physician  informed  me  impru- 
dently that  the  malady  from  which  she  suffered  would  prove  fatal. 
I consequently  became  dangerously  ill ; and,  when  my  child  was  ten 
days  old,  she  expired. 

In  consequence  of  my  illness,  I was  kept  in  ignorance  of  this 
event.  The  friends  and  relatives  of  Mrs.  Quincy  assembled  at  the 
house  of  her  brother,  William  Phillips,  in  Tremont  Street.  Her  son 
attended  her  remains  to  Quincy,  and  placed  them  beside  those  of  his 
father,  in  obedience  to  the  wishes  of  both  parents ; and  thus  fulfilled 
the  last  filial  duty.  “To  those  who  conversed  with  Mrs.  Quincy  only 
as  a general  acquaintance,  she  was  the  object  of  warm  regard  ; and 
by  her  more  intimate  connections  she  was  loved  as  a friend,  trusted 
as  a guide,  prized  as  a companion,  and  revered  as  a pattern.  Cor- 
rectness and  vivacity  of  thought  marked  her  understanding  ; the 
heart  of  sensibility  was  joined  to  firmness  ; and  sweetness  mingled 
with  dignity  in  her  manners.  Adversity  brightened  her  virtues,  and 


76 


♦ 

prosperity  could  not  corrupt  them.  None  better  knew  both  how  to 
enjoy  and  to  improve  life,  — equally  alive  to  every  innocent  gratifica- 
tion, and  ready  to  every  serious  duty.”  * 

Several  weeks  elapsed  before  I became  aware  of  the  loss  I had 
sustained ; my  physician,  alarmed  at  the  effect  of  his  own  impru- 
dence, being  anxious  to  postpone  the  agitation  and  grief  such  intel- 
ligence would  occasion.  After  I had  recovered  sufficient  strength 
to  bear  the  excitement  of  the  meeting,  our  friends  and  relatives 
gathered  round  me  ; and  my  own  mother  came  on  from  New  York. 
New  duties  and  engagements  claimed  our  attention.  We  found  our- 
selves in  possession  of  the  house  and  property  of  our  beloved  parent ; 
and  it  seemed  to  me  as  if  her  benign  spirit  presided  over  the  scene 
of  her  former  presence,  to  bless  her  children  in  the  home  she  had 
prepared  for  them.  To  the  present  day,  the  thought  of  her  opinions 
has  influenced  my  conduct ; and  this  is  the  tribute  to  her  memory 
she  would  have  most  valued. 

Mr.  Quincy  gave  me  a diamond  ring, — the  gift  of  his  father  to 
his  mother  on  their  engagement.  I also  retained  her  watch,  a 
present  from  her  sisters  Mrs.  Dowse  and  Mrs.  Shaw  ; to  whom  we 
gave  the  rest  of  her  immediate  personal  property.  Our  first  visit, 
after  my  recovery,  was  to  them  and  to  Mr.  Dowse.  They  received 
us  with  sympathy  and  affection,  and  from  this  time  held  a parental 
relation  toward  us  and  our  children.  From  Mrs.  Shaw  I learned, 
that,  retaining  her  consciousness  to  the  last  moment,  our  mother  had 
endeavored  to  calm  the  intense  grief  of  her  sisters  by  reminding 
them  how  short  would  be  the  separation.  Her  last  expressions  of 
affection  were  for  me.  She  charged  Mrs.  Shaw  to  be  a mother  to  me, 
in  her  place  ; and  to  convey  to  me  the  assurance  of  her  love,  of  her 
perfect  approbation,  and  her  last  blessing. 


* Obituary  Notice  of  Mrs.  Abigail  Quincy,  by  Rev.  J.  T.  Kirkland.  — Columbian  Cenlinel, 
March,  1798. 


After  the  decease  of  Major  Shaw,  his  widow  was  accustomed  to 
pass  the  winter  months  with  her  sister,  in  Boston;  and  this  arrange- 
ment was  continued  with  us  for  several  years. 

The  first  occurrence  which  turned  the  course  of  our  thoughts 
was  the  appointment  of  Mr.  Quincy,  by  the  authorities  of  the  town  of 
Boston,  to  deliver  the  oration  on  the  4th  of  July,  1798  ; when  I 
heard  him  speak  in  public  for  the  first  time.  His  audience  in  the 
Old  South  were  excited  by  the  aspect  of  political  affairs ; and  I 
observed  that  Colonel  T.  H.  Perkins  (the  commander  of  the  Cadets) 
and  other  gentlemen  were  affected  to  tears  by  his  impassioned 
address. 

Our  residence  in  the  family  mansion  at  Quincy  (which  has  been 
since  our  abode  during  many  happy  years)  commenced  that  summer ; 
and  then  began  my  friendship  with  President  and  Mrs.  Adams. 

In  the  spring  of  1799,  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Alsop  of  Middletown 
and  our  cousin  Susan  Storer,  we  took  the  stage  for  our  party, 
reached  New  York  in  eight  days,  and  passed  six  weeks  with  our 
relatives.  During  that  and  the  succeeding  year,  we  had  constant 
social  meetings  with  many  friends;  and  Miss  Lowell  continued  my 
most  intimate  associate. 

At  this  time,  I formed  an  acquaintance  with  Mrs.  S.  Cabot,  one 
of  the  friends  of  Mr.  Quincy’s  mother.  Her  husband,  Samuel 
Cabot,  a brother  of  George  Cabot,  was  then  in  England,  commissioner, 
under  the  treaty,  with  Messrs.  Gore  and  King.  My  attentions  to 
Mrs.  Cabot  were  unremitted ; and,  after  her  decease  in  1809,  they 
were  continued  to  her  children.  Colonel  T.  H.  Perkins  resided  near 
us,  in  Pearl  Street ; and  with  him  and  Mrs.  Perkins  we  have  ever 
since  sustained  an  affectionate  friendship. 

In  1801,  we  made  a journey  to  New  York  in  our  carriage,  and 
passed  some  weeks  with  my  eldest  brother  and  his  family.  They  then 
resided  at  Greenwich,  two  miles  from  New  York,  on  an  estate  which 


78 


our  grandfather,  Mr.  Kemper,  had  taken,  on  a lease,  from  Trinity 
Church.  The  high  bank  of  the  Hudson,  fringed  with  trees,  on  which 
the  house  was  situated,  commanded  an  extensive  view  of  that  noble 
river ; and  the  grounds  were  ornamented  with  trees  and  shrubs,  and 
a fine  hawthorn  hedge.  When  the  lease  expired,  this  estate  was 
levelled,  and  divided  into  city  lots  ; and  the  site  of  my  brother’s 
house  is  now  marked  by  Morton  Street,  in  the  city  of  New  York. 
My  brother  Washington  Morton,  who,  in  1797,  had  married  Cornelia 
Schuyler,  a daughter  of  General  Schuyler  of  Albany,  and  my  uncle, 
Daniel  Kemper,  and  his  family,  also  resided  at  Greenwich. 

Receiving  intelligence  that  Dr.  Jackson  of  Philadelphia  was  dan- 
gerously ill,  we  went  on  to  that  city ; and,  passing  through  Princeton, 
were  received  most  affectionately  by  President  Smith  and  his  family. 
Dr.  Jackson  was  an  excellent  man,  extensively  engaged  in  his  pro- 
fession. He  survived  but  a short  time,  and  his  widow  was  left  with 
a numerous  family  dependent  on  her  care.  In  the  autumn,  her  eldest 
daughter,  afterwards  Mrs.  I.  P.  Davis  of  Boston,  came  to  pass  the 
winter  with  me.  In  New  York,  we  selected  a monument  of  white 
marble,  to  be  erected  to  the  memory  of  the  parents  of  Mr.  Quincy ; 
as,  at  that  period,  no  such  memorial  could  be  obtained  in  Boston. 
On  our  return  through  Connecticut,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wolcott  cordially 
welcomed  us ; and  we  passed  several  days  with  them  at  Litchfield. 
After  our  return,  President  Smith  and  his  daughter  Prances  spent 
several  weeks  at  our  house  in  Boston  ; and  my  brothers,  Washington 
and  Clarke  Morton,  also  visited  us. 

In  the  spring  of  1802,  I gave  a large  evening  party,  on  the  return 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Quincy  Adams  from  Europe.  Our  house  in 
Pearl  Street  was  thrown  open  to  all  our  acquaintance,  and  a ball  and 
supper  arranged  in  the  most  elegant  style  of  that  period. 

The  following  summer,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wolcott  passed  a month 
with  us.  Their  numerous  friends  — George  Cabot,  Fisher  Ames, 


79 

the  Higginson  and  Pomeroy  families,  and  many  others  — gathered 
aronnd  them  ; and  we  were  constantly  engaged  in  a succession  of 
parties  and  entertainments,  among  which  were  included  several  visits 
to  President  and  Mrs.  Adams  at  Quincy.  The  time  passed  delight- 
fully away  in  the  companionship  of  these  distinguished  friends. 


After  the  preceding  pages  were  written  by  Mrs.  Quincy  at 
leisure  moments,  they  were  copied  into  a volume  by  her 
daughter,  Margaret  Morton  Quincy ; from  whose  manuscript 
they  have  been  prepared  for  the  press,  and  the  narrative 
concluded,  by 

ELIZA  SUSAN  QUINCY. 


BOSTON,  MASSACHUSETTS, 
Atkil  20,  1861. 


CHAPTER  I. 


OINCE  the  close  of  the  last  century,  Boston  has  almost  lost  its 
identity  by  changes  within  its  precincts.  The  mansion  where 
Mrs.  Quincy  was  received  on  her  marriage  stood  on  the  southern 
slope  of  Fort  Hill,  surrounded  by  open  fields.  These  are  now 
covered  by  brick  houses  and  granite  stores,  and  its  site  is  marked 
by  the  Quincy  Block.  It  was  a handsome  edifice  of  three  stories, 
the  front  ornamented  with  Corinthian  pilasters ; and  pillars  of  the 
same  order  supported  a porch,  from  which  three  flights  of  steps  of 
red  sandstone,  and  a broad  walk  of  the  same  material,  descended  to 
Pearl  Street.  Honeysuckles  were  twined  round  the  porch,  and  high 
damask  rosebushes  grew  beneath  the  windows.  The  estate  extended 
to  High  Street;  and  at  the  corner  of  Pearl  Street  stood  the  stable  and 
coach-house.  The  grounds  ascending  toward  Oliver  Street  were 
formed  into  glacis,  and  were  adorned  by  four  English  elms  of  full  size 
and  beauty,  the  resort  of  numerous  birds,  especially  of  the  oriole,  or 
golden  robin. 

Mr.  Merchant,  a Bostonian  engaged  in  the  commerce  then  opening 
with  China,  erected  the  house  on  this  estate,  but  died  before  its  comple- 
tion. In  1792,  it  was  sold,  with  the  land  now  comprehended  in  Quincy 
and  Pearl  Places,  by  his  executors,  William  Foster  and  Harrison  Gray 
Otis,  for  a thousand  pounds,  to  William  Phillips  ; who  caused  his 
daughter,  Mrs.  Quincy,  to  remove  to  this  mansion,  which  she  arranged 


86 


with  taste  and  elegance.  The  spacious  hall  was  carpeted  with  straw 
matting,  among  the  fii'st  imported  from  China;  and  furnished  with 
arm  chairs  and  a lounge,  of  cane.*  The  dining  and  drawing  rooms, 
which  opened  from  the  hall  on  either  side,  had  cornices  of  stucco ; 
and  the  walls  were  hung  with  a plain  green  paper,  relieved  by  a broad, 
highly  colored  border,  representing  flowers  and  shells.  The  furniture 
of  both  apartments  was  of  mahogany,  carved  and  inlaid.  Four  Chinese 
drawings  in  water-colors  (views  of  Canton  and  its  vicinity)  and  an 
engraving  of  Stuart’s  portrait  of  Washington  hung  in  the  dining-room, 
which  communicated  with  a china-closet,  and  with  a clock-room,  in 
which  stood  a high,  old-fashioned  timepiece,  and  a mahogany  secretary 
and  bookcase,  with  mirrors  in  the  doors.  With  the  exception  of  the 
entrance-hall,  the  carpets  on  both  the  lower  stories  were  Brussels  and 
Axminster.  Graceful  wreaths  of  flowers,  on  a white  ground,  formed 
the  pattern  in  the  drawing-room  ; in  which  apartment  there  were  large 
mirrors  and  cut-glass  chandeliers.  Among  its  ornaments  were  several 
rich  china  vases  and  an  ivory  model  of  a pagoda,  presented  by  Major 
Shaw  in  1792  to  Mrs.  Abigail  Quincy.  A large  apartment  in  the 
second  story  was  devoted  to  the  library,  the  books  being  arranged  in 
mahogany  cases  with  glazed  doors. 

As  the  situation  of  the  house  was  elevated,  it  commanded  an 
extensive  view  of  the  town,  crowned  by  the  State  House,  and  by 
the  Monument  on  the  beautiful  cone  of  Beacon  Hill.  Mr.  Wolcott, 
in  1802,  admired  these  structures,  and  said,  “ The  Bostonians,  like 
the  Romans,  may  boast  of  their  Capitol  and  their  triumphal  column.” 
Mrs.  Quincy  replied,  “ They  are  more  like  the  Athenians.  A grass- 
hopper ought  to  be  placed  on  Faneuil  Hall.”  She  was  not  then 
aware,  that,  as  a crest  of  the  Faneuils,  a grasshopper  had  actually 
long  surmounted  the  Cradle  of  Liberty. 

* A similar  set  was  seen  by  Mrs.  Abigail  Adams,  in  one  of  the  royal  palaces,  in  the  dressing- 
room  of  Queen  Charlotte;  and  a lounge  of  the  same  pattern  stood,  in  1856,  in  one  of  the  show-rooms 
of  Warwick  Castle. 


87 


Before  the  American  Revolution,  Governor  Oliver  resided  in 
Oliver  Street ; and  Thomas  Palmer,  an  opulent  merchant,  in  Hutch- 
inson Street.  Mr.  Palmer’s  mansion  was  divided,  and  became  the 
residence  of  James  Lovell  and  Thomas  Handyside  Perkins  ; and 
the  name  of  the  street  was  changed  to  Pearl  Street.  A field 
extended  between  the  houses  of  Mr.  Quincy  and  Mr.  Perkins ; and 
beyond,  on  the  north  side  of  Pearl  Street,  •were  the  residences  of 
Chief- Justice  Parsons  and  Mr.  John  Prince,  whose  estate  bounded 
on  Milk  Street. 

From  the  Mall,  on  Fort  Hill,  there  was  an  uninterrupted  view  of 
the  town  and  harbor.  Summer  and  Winter  Streets  and  Bowdoin 
Square  were  bordered  by  houses,  separated  by  fields  and  gardens. 
Franklin  Place  was  the  most  modern  part  of  the  town,  and  the  only 
continuous  range  of  brick  houses.  All  the  churches  in  Boston, 
except  the  Old  South,  the  Stone  Chapel,  the  Brattle  Street,  and 
the  North  Church,  have  been  either  rebuilt  or  founded.  The  only 
avenues  to  the  country  were  the  Neck,  and  Cambridge  and  Charles- 
town Bridges. 

The  places  which  knew  the  inhabitants  of  Boston  at  that  period 
cannot  be  said  to  “ know  them  no  more  ; ” for  their  mansions  have 
vanished  like  themselves ; and  the  very  ground  they  stood  on  has 
been  carried  away,  and  cast  into  the  sea.  Sketches  of  those  with 
which  Mrs.  Quincy  was  then  most  familiar,  are,  therefore,  here 
appropriate. 

William  Phillips,  the  maternal  grandfather  of  Mr.  Quincy,  resided 
in  Beacon  Street,  in  a house  erected,  in  1720,  by  Edward  Bromfield, 
for  many  years  an  eminent  merchant  of  Boston.  He  died  in  1756; 
and,  in  1761,  his  mansion*  was  purchased  by  his  son-in-law,  Mr. 
Phillips.  It  was  of  three  stories,  and  richly  furnished  according  to 
the  fashion  of  the  last  century.  There  were  large  mirrors  in  carved 


See  Appendix  II. 


88 


mahogany  frames,  with  gilt  mouldings ; and  one  apartment  was  hung 
with  tapestry,  representing  a stag-hunt.  Three  steep  flights  of  stone 
steps  ascended  from  Beacon  Street  to  the  front  of  the  mansion ; and 
behind  it  was  a paved  court-yard,  above  which  rose  successive 
terraces  filled  with  flowers  and  fruit-trees.  On  the  summit,  a sum- 
mer-house, elevated  higher  than  the  roofs  of  the  houses  which,  in 
18G1,  form  Ashburton  Place,  commanded  a panoramic  view  of  the 
harbor  and  environs.  Some  noble  trees  near  it,  a landmark  before 
the  Revolution  for  ships  approaching  the  coast,  were  cut  down  by  the 
British  during,  the  siege  of  Boston.  The  hill  on  which  this  mansion 
stood  — between  those  of  Governor  Bowdoin  and  David  Sears,  both 
of  subsequent  erection  — was  levelled  in  1845  ; and  the  site  is  now 
marked  by  Freeman -place  Chapel,  and  the  adjoining  houses  on 
Beacon  Street. 

The  Faneuil  Mansion  in  Tremont  Street,  opposite  the  Stone-Chapel 
Cemetery,  was  purchased  by  William  Phillips,  sen.,  after  the  Revo- 
lution; and  became  the  residence  of  his  son.  The  deep  court-yard, 
ornamented  by  flowers  and  shrubs,  was  divided  into  an  upper  and 
lower  platform  by  a high  glacis,  surmounted  by  a richly  wrought 
iron  railing  decorated  with  gilt  balls.  The  edifice  was  of  brick, 
painted  white  ; and  over  the  entrance-door  was  a semicircular  balcony. 
The  hall  and  apartments  were  spacious,  and  elegantly  furnished.  The 
terraces,  which  rose  from  the  paved  court  behind  the  house,  were 
supported  by  massy  walls  of  hewn  granite,  and  were  ascended  by 
flights  of  steps  of  the  same  material.  The  crest  of  the  former 
owner,  — a grasshopper,  — similar  to  the  vane  of  Faneuil  Hall,  yet 
glittered  on  a summer-house  in  the  garden,  which  commanded  a view 
only  inferior  to  that  from  Beacon  Hill. 

The  house  erected  by  Sir  Henry  Yane  in  1636  was  situated  on 
Tremont  Street,  beside  the  court-yard  of  the  Faneuil  Mansion.  It 
was  also  purchased  by  Mr.  Phillips,  and  remained  standing  until  1820. 
These  estates  bounded  on  that  of  William  Vassall,  afterwards  the 


89 


property  and  residence  of  Gardner  Greene,  Esq.  Comprising  several 
acres  of  land,  they  became  too  valuable  to  be  retained  as  private 
residences ; and,  in  1834,  these  ancient  mansions,  with  their  beautiful 
grounds  and  gardens,  long  the  ornament  of  the  town  of  Boston,  were 
sold  and  levelled,  and  transformed  into  Pemberton  Square  and  Tre- 
mont  Row. 

The  mansion  of  Ebenezer  Storer,  an  extensive  edifice  of  wood 
three  stories  in  height,  was  erected  by  his  father  in  1700.  It  was 
situated  on  Sudbury  Street,  between  two  trees  of  great  size  and 
antiquity.  An  old  English  elm  of  uncommon  height  and  circum- 
ference grew  in  the  sidewalk  of  the  street,  before  the  mansion  ; and 
behind  it  was  a sycamore  tree  of  almost  equal  age  and  dimensions.  It 
fronted  to  the  south,  with  one  end  toward  the  street.  From  the  gate, 
a broad  walk  of  red  sandstone  separated  it  from  a grass-plot  which 
formed  the  court-yard,  and  passed  the  front-door  to  the  office  of  Mr. 
Storer,  for  many  years  a merchant  of  Boston,  and  the  Treasurer  of 
Harvard  College  from  1777  to  1807.  The  vestibule  of  the  house,  from 
which  a staircase  ascended,  opened  on  either  side  into  the  dining  and 
drawing  rooms.  Both  had  windows  toward  the  court-yard,  and  also 
opened  by  glazed  doors  into  a garden  behind  the  house.  They  were 
long,  low  apartments ; the  walls  wainscoted  and  panelled ; the  fur- 
niture of  carved  mahogany.  The  ceilings  were  traversed  through 
the  length  of  the  rooms  by  a large  beam,  cased  and  finished  like  the 
walls ; and  from  the  centre  of  each  depended  a glass  globe,  which 
reflected,  as  in  a convex  mirror,  all  surrounding  objects.  There  was 
a rich  Persian  carpet  in  the  drawing-room,  the  colors  crimson  and 
green.  The  curtains  and  the  cushions  of  the  window-seats  and  chairs 
were  of  green  damask  ; and  oval  mirrors  and  girandoles,  and  a tea- 
set  of  rich  china  on  a carved  table,  completed  the  furniture  of  that 
apartment.  The  wide  chimney-place  in  the  dining-room  was  lined  and 
surrounded  by  Dutch  tiles  ; and  on  each  side  stood  capacious  arm- 
chairs, cushioned  and  covered  with  green  damask,  for  the  master  and 

12 


90 


mistress  of  the  family.  On  the  walls  were  portraits,  in  crayon,  by 
Copley ; and  valuable  engravings,  — representing  Franklin  with  his 
lightning-rod,  Washington,  and  other  eminent  men  of  the  last  century. 
Between  the  windows  hung  a long  mirror  in  a mahogany  frame ; and 
opposite  the  fireplace  was  a buffet,  ornamented  with  porcelain  statu- 
ettes and  a set  of  rich  china.  A large  apartment  in  the  second  story 
was  devoted  to  a valuable  library,  a philosophical  apparatus,  a collec- 
tion of  engravings,  a solar  microscope,  a camera,  &c. 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Storer,  in  1807,  many  of  his  books,  en- 
gravings, and  telescopes  were  purchased  by  Mr.  Quincy.  When 
President  of  Harvard  University,  he  presented  to  that  institution  a 
comet-catcher  imported  by  Mr.  Storer,  which  was  used  to  observe 
the  great  comet  of  1843  ; being  the  best  instrument  then  to  be 
obtained  at  Cambridge  for  the  purpose.  Beneath  the  windows  of 
Mr.  Storer  s library,  gardens  extended  toward  Hanover  Street ; but 
the  situation  was  low,  and  commanded  no  view.  This  locality  is  now 
completely  changed ; stores  and  hotels  having  superseded  a mansion 
long  the  abode  of  hospitality,  and  the  resort  of  intellectual  and  culti- 
vated society. 

The  mansion  which,  in  1798,  became  the  summer  residence  of 
Mrs.  Quincy,  and  in  1861  continues  that  of  her  family,  was  erected  in 
1770,  by  Josiah  Quincy  of  Braintree,  on  an  estate  of  several  hundred 
acres  purchased  of  the  Sachem  of  Mos-Wechusett,  in  1635,  by  Edmund 
Quincy  of  England,  and  which  has  remained  unalienated.*  It  is  a 
well-proportioned  edifice  of  wood,  two  stories  in  height,  with  attics 
forming  a half-story ; the  roof  finished  with  a carved  balustrade  and 
eaves.  Open  fields  extend  around  it,  bounded  on  the  north-east  by 
that  part  of  Massachusetts  Bay  which  forms  the  outer  harbor  of  Bos- 
ton. Although  near  the  level  of  the  ocean,  the  views  from  the 


* From  Mos-Wechusett,  or  Arrow-head  Hill,  which  is  situated  on  the  isthmus  which  connects 
the  peninsula  of  Squantum  with  the  mainland,  the  word  “ Massachusetts  ” was  derived.  — Neale's 
History  of  New  England.  Hutchinson's  Massachusetts,  vol.  i.  p.  408. 


91 


windows  are  extensive,  comprising  the  Blue  Hills  of  Milton,  Dorches- 
ter Heights,  Boston,  its  harbor,  and  the  distant  Atlantic. 

In  the  front,  toward  the  south,  a porch,  supported  by  carved 
pillars,  with  seats  on  each  side,  shelters  the  entrance-door,  with 
its  heavy  brass  knocker,  which  opens  into  a hall  lighted  by  narrow 
windows,  and  hung,  in  1798,  with  paper  representing  columns  and 
arches,  with  busts  in  appropriate  niches.  A wide  staircase  with 
carved  balusters  ascends  to  the  second  story.  The  west  parlor 
has  a high  wainscot,  painted  walls,  and  a panelled  chimney-piece 
with  carved  mouldings.  Its  fireplace  is  of  brown  stone  ; but  those  of 
the  other  apartments  are  suiTounded  by  Dutch  tiles,  of  the  same 
colors  as  the  rich  papers  which  formerly  decorated  their  walls.  The 
cast-iron  chimney-backs  are  stamped  with  the  date  of  the  erection  of 
the  house  ; and  on  one  is  a bust  of  General  Wolfe,  with  military 
trophies.  In  1770,  it  was  deemed  a spacious  and  elegant  mansion; 
and  the  size  of  the  panes  of  glass  in  the  windows,  fourteen  inches  by 
ten,  excited  the  admiration  and  curiosity  of  the  neighborhood. 

The  steps  of  the  porch  descend  to  a broad  gravel-walk  parallel 
with  the  house  ; from  which,  in  1798,  three  granite  steps  led  to  a 
court-yard,  divided  by  gravel-walks  into  four  grass-plots  with  borders 
of  flowers,  and  surrounded  by  a Chinese  fence  of  the  same  pattern 
as  the  balustrade.  There  were  gates  at  each  end  of  the  broad  walk 
before  the  house  (that  on  the  west  opened  on  an  orchard);  and  beyond 
were  fields  adorned  by  aged  oaks  and  other  native  trees,  once  the  shel- 
ter of  Indian  sachems  and  their  subject  tribes,  and  comprising  hundreds 
of  acres  belonging  to  the  estate  and  to  those  of  other  proprietors. 

The  gate  on  the  east  opened  on  the  carriage-road,  which  sepa- 
rated the  house  from  a garden,  surrounded  by  a brick  wall,  raised  on 
a high  bank,  and  surmounted  by  an  open  fence  of  carved  wood.  Be- 
yond were  orchards,  comprehending  many  varieties  of  French  pear- 
tree.  A narrow,  winding  road  led  to  the  highway,  over  Milton  Hill, 
to  Boston,  then  twelve  miles  distant. 


92 


This  mansion  was  the  residence  of  Josiah  Quincy  of  Braintree 
during  the  exciting  scenes  of  the  American  Revolution.  Here  he  bade 
adieu  to  his  only  surviving  sons,  — one  exiled  from  his  country  by 
the  success  of  the  patriotic  cause,  which  the  other  sacrificed  his  life 
to  promote  ; and  here,  in  brighter  hours,  he  corresponded  with  Wash- 
ington, enjoyed  the  society  of  Bowdoin  and  Franklin*  and  their  con- 
temporaries, and  watched  the  infancy  and  childhood  of  his  grandson, 
to  whom,  in  1784,  he  bequeathed  his  portrait  by  Copley,  and  this 
estate. 

With  characteristic  sensibility  and  enthusiasm,  Mrs.  Quincy  ap- 
preciated the  interesting  associations  of  the  place.  It  became  her 
favorite  abode,  where  she  delighted  to  receive  the  children  and 
friends  of  the  former  owner,  and  to  make  them  once  more  at  home 
under  his  roof.  Her  taste  and  judgment  suggested  many  improve- 
ments. Obstructions  to  the  views  were  removed  ; walls  and  fences 
levelled ; lawns,  with  trees  and  shrubs  judiciously  disposed,  replaced 
the  court-yard  and  gardens  ; and  the  approach  to  the  house  was 
turned  through  an  avenue  of  elms,  a third  of  a mile  in  length,  planted 
by  Mr.  Quincy  in  1790. 

In  1802,  the  town  of  Quincy  was  a retired  village,  twelve  miles  from 
Boston;  and  few  changes  had  taken  place  since  the  American  Revo- 
lution. There  were  only  two  churches,  both  ancient  wooden  edifices, 
— the  Episcopal,  erected  in  1728;  and  the  Congregational,  rebuilt  in 
1732.  The  pews  in  the  centre  of  the  latter,  having  been  made  out 
of  long,  open  seats  by  successive  votes  of  the  town,  were  of  different 
sizes,  and  had  no  regularity  of  arrangement ; and  several  were  en- 
tered by  narrow  passages,  winding  between  those  in  their  neighbor- 
hood. The  seats,  being  provided  with  hinges,  were  raised  when  the 
congregation  stood  during  the  prayer ; and,  at  its  conclusion,  thrown 


* Dr.  Franklin  passed  some  days  with  Josiah  Quincy  in  October,  1775:  and  his  apartment, 
in  which  these  pages  were  written  in  I860,  has  since  been  denominated  in  the  family  the  Franklin 
Boom. 


93 


down  with  a momentum,  which,  on  her  first  attendance,  alarmed  Mrs. 
Quincy,  who  feared  the  church  was  falling.  The  deacons  were 
ranged  under  the  pulpit,  and  beside  its  door  the  sexton  was  seated  ; 
while,  from  an  aperture  aloft  in  the  wall,  the  bell-ringer  looked  in 
from  the  tower  to  mark  the  arrival  of  the  clergyman.  The  voices 
of  the  choir  in  the  front  gallery  were  assisted  by  a discordant 
assemblage  of  stringed  and  wind  instruments.  In  1806,  when  the 
increased  population  of  the  town  required  a larger  edifice,  the  meet- 
ing-house was  divided  in  two  parts ; the  pulpit,  and  the  pews  in  its 
vicinity,  were  moved  to  a convenient  distance ; and  a new  piece  was 
inserted  between  the  fragments.  After  this  alteration,  the  spacious 
pew  Mr.  Quincy  had  inherited  was  reduced  to  the  size  of  the  rest, 
and  all  were  arranged  with  uniformity.  In  1803,  the  distance  from 
Quincy  to  Boston  was  diminished  four  miles  by  the  Neponset  Bridge 
and  Turnpike,  obtained  chiefly  by  the  exertions  of  Mr.  Quincy. 

Among  the  elder  relatives  of  Mr.  Quincy  at  this  period  was  Henry 
Bromfield  of  Harvard,  Massachusetts,  — the  son  of  an  eminent  Boston 
merchant,  and  the  descendant  of  an  old  English  family.  After  visit- 
ing Europe,  and  passing  his  youth  and  manhood  in  mercantile  pur- 
suits, Mr.  Bromfield  purchased,  in  1770,  a mansion  erected,  in  1720, 
by  Mr.  Seccurn  of  England,  in  a beautiful  valley  commanding  a view 
of  a small  lake,  near  the  retired  village  of  Harvard.  Lofty  elms 
surrounded  the  house,  and  formed  two  avenues,  — one  leading  to 
the  high  road,  the  other  to  the  burial-gi’ound  and  the  village  church. 
Several  family  portraits  hung  in  the  hall ; and  in  the  dining-room 
were  valuable  engravings,  — views  of  the  ruins  of  Home,  after  Panini ; 
and  the  children  of  Charles  I.,  engraved  by  Sir  Robert  Strange,  after 
Vandyck.  There  was  also  a bookcase,  containing  one  of  the  first 
editions  of  the  “ Spectator,”  and  other  contemporary  volumes ; and  a 
buffet,  filled  with  old  plate  and  rare  china.  After  the  loss  of  his 


His  son,  the  Rev.  T.  Seccum,  was  the  first  clergyman  of  Harvard. 


94 


wife  and  the  marriage  of  his  daughters,  Mr.  Bromfield  continued  to 
live  happily  in  solitude,  attended  by  confidential  domestics,  and  en- 
livened by  occasional  visits  from  his  relatives  and  friends.  Removed 
from  the  attrition  of  society,  time  had  not  obliterated  the  peculiari- 
ties of  character  acquired  in  the  last  centuiy ; and  he  remained,  in 
mind,  manners,  and  costume,  a living  representative  of  an  age  which 
had  passed  away.  In  conversation,  he  constantly  referred  to  “ the 
year  fifty,”  — the  date  of  his  last  visit  to  England.  The  most  aged 
inhabitants  of  Boston  were  spoken  of  by  him  as  young  men  ; and 
State,  Court,  and  Summer  Streets  were  seldom  recognized  by  his 
auditors  under  the  names  of  King  and  Queen  Streets  and  Seven-star 
Lane.  . 

Mr.  Bromfield  and  his  surroundings  vividly  reminded  Mrs.  Quincy 
of  Addison’s  description  of  Sir  Roger  de  Coverley  in  the  “ Spectator.” 
It  seemed  to  her,  that  she  must  be  on  a visit  to  that  worthy  knight, 
especially  on  Sunday,  when,  equipped  with  a red  cloak,  and  a wig 
surmounted  by  a cocked  hat,  and  attended  by  his  negro  servant 
Othello,  he  escorted  her  under  the  ancient  avenue  of  elms  and 
through  the  graveyard  to  the  village  church.  Profound  deference 
and  respect  marked  the  passing  salutations  he  received ; and,  at  the 
conclusion  of  the  service,  the  Avhole  congregation  remained  standing- 
in  their  pews,  until  Mr.  Bromfield  and  his  guests  had  walked  down 
the  broad  aisle. 

Mrs.  Ann  Bromfield,  the  wife  of  John  Bromfield,  the  youngest 
brother  of  Henry  Bromfield,  and  her  daughter,  — afterwards  Mrs. 
Ann  Tracy  of  Newburypoi't,  — held  a pre-eminence  among  the  friends 
of  Miss  Lowell  and  Mrs.  Quincy.  Mrs.  Bromfield  had  surmounted 
many  severe  trials ; and  the  serene  dignity  of  her  manners  and'  the 
benevolence  of  her  character  gave  a peculiar  charm  to  her  counte- 
nance. In  that  of  her  daughter,  deep  sensibility,  and  enthusiasm 
of  feeling,  controlled  by  high  principles  of  action,  rendered  her 
affection  a most  valuable  possession. 


95 


William  Phillips,  the  maternal  grandfather  of  Mr.  Quincy,  died  in 

1804,  at  the  age  of  eighty-four.  He  left  valuable  bequests  to  the 
public,  and  the  rest  of  his  fortune  — amounting,  by  the  rise  of  real 
estate,  to  upwards  of  a million  of  dollars  — to  his  only  son.  All  the 
property  which  his  surviving  daughters,  Mrs.  Dowse  and  Mrs.  Shaw, 
received  beyond  small  annuities,  was  the  gift  of  their  brother  William 
Phillips ; who  also  gave  to  his  nephew  Mr.  Quincy  the  estate  in  Pearl 
Street,  where  he  then  resided. 

Mrs.  Ann  Quincy,  the  widow  of  Josiah  Quincy  of  Braintree,  and 
who  survived  him  twenty-one  years,  died  at  the  age  of  eighty,  in 

1805.  She  had  a life-estate  in  the  farm  which  Mr.  Quincy  inherited ; 
but,  in  1797,  he  relieved  her  of  the  care  of  the  property,  and,  giving 
her  the  incomes,  enabled  her  to  reside  with  her  daughter  at  Marl- 
borough. A strong  mind,  uncommon  vivacity  of  temperament,  and 
great  benevolence  and  warmth  of  heart,  rendered  her  generally  re- 
spected and  beloved.  Mrs.  Quincy  became  much  attached  to  her, 
invited  her  annually  to  the  mansion  formerly  her  home,  accompanied 
her  to  visit  her  old  neighbors  and  friends,  and  enjoyed  her  descrip- 
tion of  past  times. 


CHAPTER  II. 


A journey  to  Burlington,  Vermont,  made  in  1803  by  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Quincy,  was  highly  enjoyed  by  her. 

“ A lover  of  the  woods 
And  mountains,  and  of  all  that  we  behold 
From  this  green  earth,”  — 

the  beautiful  shores  of  Lake  Champlain,  and  the  wild  scenery  of 
Vermont,  excited  her  enthusiastic  admiration. 

In  an  excursion  to  Nantucket  at  the  same  period,  she  was  much 
interested  by  the  primitive  customs  and  manners  then  prevailing  in 
that  island.  Leaving  their  phaeton  and  servant  at  New  Bedford,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Quincy  embarked  in  a sloop  loaded  with  firewood ; and,  after 
sailing  through  the  Elizabeth  Islands,  were  hospitably  received  at 
Nantucket.  In  the  evening,  they  were  invited  to  see  the  cows  come 
in,  and  were  conducted  to  a barrier  without  the  town.  A herd  of 
upwards  of  six  hundred  cattle  soon  appeared  in  the  distance.  Hav- 
ing approached,  they  all  paused,  waiting  for  their  leader.  Presently 
a small  cow,  but  undoubtedly  a strong-minded  individual,  stepped  for- 
ward, and  passed  the  barrier.  The  rest  followed  rapidly,  each  one 
finding  the  way  to  her  owner’s  dwelling.  Mrs.  Quincy  was  amused 
by  this  novel  spectacle,  and  declined  with  regret  a pressing  invita- 
tion to  remain  to  witness  the  sheep-shearing,  — the  great  festival  of 
the  island. 


97 


In  1797,  when  Mrs.  Quincy  became  a resident  of  Boston,  her 
friend  Miss  Mason  was  married  to  Hon.  John  Browne,  — a distin- 
guished member  of  the  Senate  of  the  United  States,  from  Kentucky, 
from  1792  to  1805. 

Extracts  from  the  letters  of  Mrs.  Browne,  at  this  period,  are 
here  inserted : — 


To  Mrs.  Eliza  S.  Quincy. 

Frankfort,  Kentucky,  Jan.  3,  1803. 

If  one  of  my  earliest  and  best-beloved  friends  still  thinks  of  me 
with  that  degree  of  affection  with  which  I have  ever  remembered 
her,  she  will  not  think  me  impertinent  in  making  some  inquiry 
respecting  her  health  and  happiness,  after  a separation  of  nearly  six 
years.  Yes,  my  dear  Susan,  though  fate  has  placed  us  at  the  extre- 
mities of  the  Union,  my  memory  often  recurs  with  delight  to  the 
many,  many  happy  hours  we  have  passed  together  in  New  York,- — - 
whether  in  receiving  the  rudiments  of  education,  engaging  in  child- 
ish amusements,  or  reciprocating  those  sentiments  of  affection  and 
friendship,  which,  to  judge  by  my  own  heart,  grew  with  our  growth. 
Those  scenes  can  never  be  re-acted  by  us ; but  they  have  given  place 
to  others  more  interesting  and  important.  Fancy  often  presents 
you  to  my  view  as  engaged  in  the  duties  and  pleasures  of  domestic 
life.  With  the  exception  of  the  separation  from  my  early  friends, 
my  happiness  has  known  no  change  but  that  which  arises  from  new 
objects  of  interest.  . . . 


Dec.  22,  1804. 

Since  I find  Mr.  Quincy  is  elected  member  of  Congress,  I regret 
Mr.  Browne  is  not  re-chosen  ; as  I should  have  met  you  in  Washington 
next  winter.  . . . 

In  compliance  with  your  request,  I will  give  an  account  of  my 
local  situation,  and  the  state  of  society  around  me.  To  one  who  has 

13 


98 


been  accustomed  to  a broken  and  picturesque  country,  tbe  situation 
of  Frankfort  will  be  extremely  pleasing  ; for,  though  low,  it  is  sur- 
rounded by  high  and  beautiful  hills,  on  whose  luxuriant  and  varied 
foliage  the  eye  is  never  weary  of  gazing,  and  whose  summits  afford 
interesting  and  delightful  prospects.  The  Kentucky  River,  on  which 
Frankfort  is  situated,  is  of  greater  utility  than  beauty.  Its  banks  are 
so  high,  that,  in  the  summer  season,  it  is  scarcely  perceptible  at  a 
little  distance  ; and  it  is  subject  to  such  great  changes,  that,  a few 
weeks  ago,  there  was  a public  dinner  and  dance  on  some  rocks  in  the 
bed  of  the  river,  over  which  two  schooners  had  sailed  in  the  spring. 

The  town  contains  about  eight  hundred  inhabitants,  one-third  of 
whom  are  black ; and  more  neat  and  convenient  dwelling-houses  than 
could  have  been  expected  from  the  time  the  place  was  first  settled, 
■which  is  not  yet  ten  years.  It  commands  a very  considerable  trade  ; 
and  retail  goods,  groceries  excepted,  are  sold  as  reasonably  as  at 
New  York.  The  seat  of  government  being  established  here  occasions 
a great  influx  of  strangers  in  the  winter  season.  My  own  situation  is 
very  agreeable.  I have  a commodious,  and  even  elegant  house,  and 
a charming  garden  containing  four  acres,  bounded  by  the  river, 
and  planted  with  grapes  and  every  kind  of  fruit,  either  natural  to 
the  soil  or  which  can  be  adopted  with  success. 

The  state  of  society  is  not  exactly  what  I could  wish.  The  gentle- 
men are  too  much  devoted  to  business  to  attend  to  any  literary  pur- 
suits unconnected  with  their  professions;  and  that  portion  of  learning 
which  has  been  thought  requisite  to  qualify  a man  for  being  a phy- 
sician, a lawyer,  or  a divine,  is  most  conscientiously  devoted  to  profes- 
sional purposes,  and  is  considered  too  sacred  or  too  hardly  earned  to 
be  sported  on  ordinary  occasions.  The  researches  of  the  ladies  are 
generally  limited  to  the  regions  of  romance.  They  marry  so  young, 
and  are  so  soon  encumbered  with  the  cares  of  a family,  that  they  have 
little  leisure  for  improvement.  What  time  they  can  command  is 
usually  devoted  to  dress,  in  which  they  display  a great  deal  of  taste. 


99 


The  perfect  equality  which  prevails,  and  which  acknowledges  no 
superior  (however  elevated  by  wealth  or  talents),  diffuses  a universal 
ease,  and  gracefulness  of  manners,  over  every  class  of  citizens  ; and 
more  genuine  politeness  and  hospitality  prevail  in  this  State  than  in 
any  other  with  which  I am  acquainted.  One  disagreeable  circum- 
stance which  results  from  this  state  of  society  is,  that  poverty  produces 
the  same  effect  here  which  unprincipled  wealth  does  in  other  socie- 
ties : it  makes  men  arrogant. 

But  the  existence  of  slavery  occasions  me  more  melancholy  sensa- 
tions than  any  circumstance  relating  to  this  country ; for  though  the 
slaves  enjoy  comparative  happiness,  are  very  well  fed  and  clothed, 
humanely  treated,  and  allowed  greater  liberties  than  any  hired  ser- 
vants at  the  eastward,  yet  there  is  something  in  the  idea  of  involun- 
tary servitude  which  shocks  humanity,  and  to  which  I pray  I may 
never  become  reconciled.  We  have  no  slaves  ourselves,  but  hire  all 
our  servants  ; and  have  found  great  advantages  in  being  esteemed  the 
friends  of  emancipation.  The  negroes  consider  us  as  entitled  to  their 
gratitude  for  our  good  wishes  ; and,  while  others  are  complaining  of 
their  depredations,  our  property,  as  far  as  relates  to  them,  is  as  secure 
as  if  guarded  by  a hundred  dragons. 

Though  furnished  with  a very  excellent  library,  I have  not  made 
that  use  of  it  which  those  who  are  acquainted  with  my  early  pursuits 
would  have  expected.  My  time  is  chiefly  devoted  to  my  children ; 
and  the  frequent  absence  of  Mr.  Browne,  by  depriving  me  of  the 
advantage  of  his  superior  knowledge,  and  the  pleasure  of  communi- 
cating to  him  any  new  ideas  which  I might  acquire,  has  destroyed  the 
greatest  inducement  to  application.  There  is  a natural  propensity  of 
the  mind  to  assimilate  itself  to  its  situation ; and  frequently  convers- 
ing on  the  trifling  topics  which  prevail  in  all  small  towns  has  retarded 
my  mental  progress.  But  the  loss  of  my  two  youngest  children  has 
destroyed  the  cheerfulness  of  my  disposition  ; and  I have  returned  to 
my  books  with  eagerness,  in  the  fond  expectation,  that,  in  perusing 


100 


the  book  of  knowledge,  I may  meet  with  the  page  of  forgetfulness. 
If  my  mind  possesses  any  latent  spark  of  genius  or  refinement,  a 
frequent  intercourse  with  you  by  letter  will  call  it  forth : write  to 
me,  then  ; and  rely  on  my  warmest  gratitude.  I have  been  imper- 
ceptibly led  to  write  more  than  I intended.  The  stillness  of  the 
hour,  which  is  interrupted  only  by  the  gentle  breathing  of  my  sleep- 
ing children,  seemed  peculiarly  favorable  to  my  employment ; and  I 
never  reflected,  that,  while  gratifying  myself,  I was  perhaps  trespass- 
ing on  your  patience.  . . . 

Affectionately  yours, 

Margaret  Browne. 

Although  Mrs.  Quincy,  as  the  correspondent  and  associate  of  her 
husband,  was  long  conversant  with  political  life,  her  character  and 
views  were  feminine  and  retired.  Her  admiration  was  excited  by 
“the  charming  Memoir  of  Mrs.  Hutchinson,”*  long  before  it  was  pro- 
nounced by  Macaulay  “ the  best  book  on  the  side  of  the  Roundheads, 
in  the  great  battle  fought  for  no  single  land,”  — in  the  civil  wars  of 
England. 

The  great  questions  of  religious  faith  had  early  touched  and  ex- 
cited her  sensitive  and  reflective  mind ; but  to  the  doctrines  of  Calvin 
reverenced  by  her  mother,  a convert  to  the  eloquence  of  Whitefield, 
she  could  not  assent.  Among  the  advantages  incident  to  her  change 
of  residence,  she  most  highly  valued  the  views  of  Christianity  given 
by  Kirkland  and  Freeman,  and  other  clergymen  of  Boston.  In 
early  life,  she  had  derived  satisfaction  from  the  writings  of  Paley ; 
and  afterwards  yet  greater  advantage  from  those  of  Butler,  Taylor, 
Barrow,  Farmer,  and  Cappe.  Locke’s  “ Reasonableness  of  Chris- 
tianity,” and  his  “ Essay  for  the  Understanding  St.  Paul’s  Epistles 
by  consulting  St.  Paul  himself,”  vrei’e  among  the  works  she  highly 


* “Life  of  Colonel  Hutchinson,”  by  his  widow.  London,  1806. 


101 


valued.  The  result  was  an  animated  practical  faith  in  the  leading 
doctrines  of  liberal  Christianity,  and  the  benevolence  of  a super- 
intending Power.  These  proved  to  her  an  unfailing  support  amid 
the  mysteries  surrounding  human  existence,  and  the  anxieties  and 
cares  from  which  this  life,  under  the  happiest  auspices,  is  never 
wholly  exempt. 

Her  children  soon  directed  her  thoughts  to  the  subject  of  educa- 
tion. The  works  of  Mrs.  Barbauld  and  Miss  Edgeworth  obtained  a 
decided  preference ; but  from  those  of  Mrs.  Trimmer,  Hannah  More, 
and  Mrs.  Chapone,  useful  information  was  derived.  For  her  sons, 
after  the  first  years  of  childhood,  public  schools  were  deemed  essen- 
tial; but  her  early  experience  led  her  to  prefer,  for  her  daughters, 
instruction  at  home. 

To  bestow  the  inexhaustible  treasures  of  a literary  taste,  no  one 
was  better  qualified  than  herself.  The  genius  of  the  poet  and  the 
novelist  shone  with  peculiar  effect,  when  she  lent  to  their  pages 
the  beauty  of  her  voice.  Those  of  Shakspeare  and  Milton ; of  Addi- 
son, Goldsmith,  Cowper,  Thomson ; of  Burney,  Scott,  Edgeworth, 
and  Austen,  — are  indissolubly  associated  by  her  children  with  her 
expressive  tones. 

In  May,  1805,  after  the  election  of  Mr.  Quincy  as  representative 
in  Congress  from  the  county  of  Suffolk,  he  leased  his  mansion  in 
Peaid  Street  to  Hon.  Christopher  Gore,  and  removed  part  of  the 
furniture  and  his  library  to  Quincy.  It  was  not  without  reluctance 
that  Mrs.  Quincy  relinquished  this  residence,  associated  with  the 
interesting  events  of  the  first  years  of  her  life  in  Boston  ; and 
the  prospect  of  a separation  from  a part  of  her  family  caused  great 
anxiety:  but  she  determined,  without  hesitation,  to  accompany  Mr. 
Quincy  to  Washington.  Their  youngest  children  were  left  at  board  with 
confidential  friends  and  domestics  ; and  accompanied  by  the  eldest,  and 
attended  by  two  servants,  they  left  Boston  in  November,  1805.  They 
travelled  in  their  carriage,  with  imperials  on  its  roof ; sending  most 


102 


of  the  luggage  by  water  to  Georgetown.  On  the  third  day,  by  a route 
then  termed  the  Middle  Road,  through  Worcester  and  Stafford,  they 
reached  Hartford ; where  they  were  immediately  visited  at  the  hotel 
by  Governor  Trumbull,  his  son-in-law  Daniel  Wadsworth,  and  many  of 
the  leading  politicians  of  Connecticut.  Invited  by  Mr.  Wadsworth 
to  his  mansion  the  next  morning,  they  were  received  by  Governor 
Trumbull  with  that  urbanity  which  distinguished  his  manners.  As 
it  was  Election  Day,  the  members  of  the  Legislature  came  with  a 
military  escort  to  attend  him  to  the  State  House.  After  accompany- 
ing Mr.  Wadsworth  to  his  mother’s  house  on  the  Main  Street  to 
see  the  procession  pass,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quincy  resumed  their 
journey. 

At  New  Haven  they  were  visited  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chauncey  and 
by  President  Dwight,  who  accompanied  them  to  visit  the  college 
edifices  and  the  library.  After  passing  several  days  in  New  York, 
Princeton,  and  Philadelphia,  they  reached  Washington  the  fourth 
week  after  leaving  Boston.  At  this  period,  there  were  no  bridges ; 
and  the  ferries,  especially  those  of  the  Hudson  and  the  Susquehannali, 
were  often  dangerous.  In  Maryland  and  Delaware,  streams  of  con- 
siderable magnitude  were  forded ; and  the  traveller  was  often  forced 
to  wait  in  miserable  inns  until  the  waters  subsided.  At  Gunpowder 
Falls,  the  high  road  passed  over  the  edge  of  a mill-dam,  down  which 
the  passengers  of  the  stage-coach  were  occasionally  precipitated. 
After  rain,  the  horses  sank  deep  at  every  step  in  the  red  clay  which 
chiefly  characterizes  the  soil  of  the  Middle  States,  and  which  adhered 
to  the  wheels  of  the  carriages  until  they  resembled  moving  globes  of 
mud. 

To  avoid  hotel  life,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quincy  obtained  lodgings  in 
the  family  of  Judge  Cranch,  who  resided  on  Pennsylvania  Avenue, 
toward  the  Eastern  Branch  of  the  Potomac.  They  were  soon  visited 
by  the  chief  residents  of  Georgetown  and  Washington.  Their 
drawing-room  was  often  the  resort  of  the  Federal  members  of 


103 


Congress,  — of  Pickering,  Upham,  and  Pickman,  of  Massachusetts  ; 
of  Tallmadge,  Dana,  Davenport,  Pitkin,  Tracy,  Hillliouse,  and  John 
Cotton  Smith,  of  Connecticut;  Broome  of  Delaware  ; and  many  others  ; 
and  important  political  measures  were  there  discussed. 

Among  anecdotes  of  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  which  often 
relieved  gloomy  political  debates,  the  following  has  often  recurred  to 
recollection : — • 

“ In  December,  1777,”  said  Colonel  Tallmadge,  “ when  Washington 
was  encamped  at  Valley  Forge,  and  Howe  in  winter  quarters  at 
Philadelphia,  I commanded  a detachment  of  dragoons,  and  was  sta- 
tioned by  the  commander-in-chief  as  an  advanced  corps  of  observation 
between  our  army  and  that  of  the  enemy.  The  duty  was  arduous, 
as  the  British  light-horse  continually  patrolled  this  imtermediate 
ground.  Indeed,  it  was  unsafe  to  permit  the  dragoons  to  unsaddle 
their  horses  for  an  hour ; and  I rarely  staid  through  a night  in  the 
same  place. 

“ I received  orders  to  go  to  a tavern  near  the  British  lines,  where 
a country  girl,  who  had  been  instructed  to  obtain  information  respect- 
ing the  enemy,  and  who  had  gone  to  Philadelphia  to  sell  eggs,  would 
meet  me.  Accordingly,  I left  my  corps  at  Germantown,  and,  with 
a small  detachment,  proceeded  towards  the  British  lines.  The  tavern 
stood  in  a valley.  I left  my  troop  on  the  brow  of  the  hill,  and,  to 
escape  observation,  alighted  at  the  tavern,  in  full  viewr  of  the  British 
outposts,  with  only  a few  horsemen  whom  I stationed  on  guard.  The 
girl  soon  came ; and,  while  she  was  giving  me  the  intelligence  she 
had  acquired,  one  of  my  men  dashed  into  the  room,  exclaiming,  ‘ The 
British  light-horse  are  advancing!’  On  going  to  the  door,  I saw  them 
coming  at  full  speed,  chasing  my  patrols.  I instantly  mounted ; but 
was  stopped  by  the  girl,  who  fell  on  her  knees  in  great  terror,  crying, 
1 They  will  kill  me  ! they  will  kill  me  ! Don’t  leave  me  ! ’ — ‘ My  child, 
they  will  kill  me,  if  I stay  here;  but  can  you  ride?’  — ‘Yes:  any 


104 


thing  to  save  my  life.’  — ‘Then  jump  up  behind  me,  and  hold  on  to 
my  belt.’ 

“ I then  rode  oft’  with  my  men,  the  British  in  full  pursuit.  They 
fired,  and  we  wheeled  and  returned  it.  Alternately  charging  and 
retreating,  we  reached  our  detachment  on  the  hill.  The  girl  behaved 
with  great  courage,  and  never  expressed  any  fear;  though,  when  the 
bullets  whistled  past  us,  I felt  her  cling  closer  to  me.  I brought  her 
off  three  miles  to  Germantown,  where  she  dismounted,  and  is  now 
(1806)  a married  woman,  living  in  Philadelphia.”* 

The  action  here  described  was  characteristic  of  Colonel  Tall- 
madge,  — one  of  Nature’s  noblemen  in  spirit,  mien,  and  appearance  ; 
a higher  patent  than  one  he  had  then  been  informed  he  had  a right 
to  claim  in  the  peerage  of  Great  Britain. 

In  the  following  letter,  the  society  which  met  during  this  winter 
at  the  residence  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quincy  is  alluded  to  by  Hon.  John 
Cotton  Smith : — 

To  Hon.  Josiah  Quincy , Boston. 

Sharon,  Conn.,  Aug.  25,  1806. 

I owe  you  an  apology  for  the  dissolution  of  our  political  commu- 
nion. The  threat  to  which  you  allude  was  not  altogether  serious ; 
but,  on  my  return  home,  the  declining  health  of  my  father,  and  the 
entreaties  of  my  wife,  constituted  a claim  on  my  obedience  I could 
not  resist.  . . . 

I do  feel  a pang  in  separating  from  that  noble  band  of  chevaliers, 
■who,  small  as  their  number  is,  have  become  the  only  depositaries 
of  their  country’s  honor ; nor  will  I conceal  the  tender  emo- 
tions which  agitate  my  breast  at  the  recollection  of  the  charming 
hours  I have  passed  not  many  miles  from  the  Eastern  Branch. 

* This  anecdote,  related  from  recollection  as  told  by  Colonel  Tallmadge,  is  recorded  in  his 
Autobiography  (p.  26),  edited  by  his  son  F.  A.  Tallmadge,  1856. 


105 


Imagination  will  long  delight  itself  in  recalling  the  hospitable  saluta- 
tion, the  undissembled  courtesy,  “ the  wisdom  and  the  wit,”  which 
enlivened  and  endeared,  and  rendered  ever  memorable,  those  even- 
ings. But  this  is  a theme  I must  not  pursue  : it  shall  be  resumed 
when  we  meet.  . . . 

Affectionately  your  friend, 

John  Cotton  Smith. 

The  height  of  party  politics  did  not  prevent  Mrs.  Quincy  from 
renewing  a former  friendship  with  Miss  Bayard  of  New  York,  as  Mrs. 
S.  H.  Smith,  the  wife  of  the  editor  of  the  “ National  Intelligencer,” 
then  the  chief  organ  of  the  Administration;  and  with  Mrs.  Madison 
she  sustained  most  friendly  relations.  Intelligence  and  animation, 
intuitive  perception  of  character,  and  readiness  and  tact  in  conversa- 
tion, made  her  a general  favorite ; and  she  highly  enjoyed  the  variety 
and  brilliancy -of  the  parties  given  by  the  permanent  and  official 
residents  then  at  Washington. 

Her  costume  united  simplicity  with  elegance.  Her  carriage 
dress,  that  winter,  was  a short  pelisse  of  black  velvet,  edged  round 
the  skirt  with  deep  lace,  and  trimmed  with  silk  cord  and  jet  buttons ; 
and  a hat  of  purple  velvet  wdtli  flowers.  A French  dress  and  train 
of  rich  white  silk  embroidered  in  gold,  with  a corresponding  head- 
dress ornamented  with  a single  white  ostrich  feather,  was  said  to  be 
the  most  elegant  which  appeared  at  a ball  given  by  the  British 
minister. 

During  this  winter,  Mrs.  Quincy  formed  an  intimate  and  perma- 
nent friendship  with  Mrs.  Martha  Peter  of  Tudor  Place,  Georgetown, 
— a grand-daughter  of  Mrs.  Washington,  and  a woman  of  superior 
strength  of  character  and  intellect. 

On  the  15th  of  March,  1806,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quincy  went  to  Mount 
Vernon,  on  an  invitation  from  Judge  and  Mrs.  Washington,  accompa- 
nied by  their  daughter  and  Judge  Cranch.  Crossing  the  Potomac 

14 


106 


by  the  ferry  at  Georgetown,  after  a fatiguing  day’s  journey  in  their 
carriage,  they  reached  their  destination  at  sunset,  and  were  most 
hospitably  received.  A niece  and  two  nephews,  and  their  private 
tutor,  then  constituted  the  family  of  Judge  and  Mrs.  Washington. 
The  evening  was  passed  in  a small  drawing-room  between  the  hall 
and  an  unfurnished  apartment  called  “ the  banqueting-room.”  A 
cheerful  fire  blazed  on  the  hearth ; and  beneath  the  windows,  which 
looked  toward  the  Potomac,  stood  a grand  piano,  on  which  Mrs. 
Washington  played  several  difficult  duets,  accompanied  by  the  in- 
structor of  her  nephews. 

The  apartment  assigned  to  Mrs.  Quincy  was  the  one  in  which 
Washington  had  died.  Early  in  the  evening,  when  her  child  was 
sent  there  to  sleep  on  a couch  for  the  night,  an  old  negress,  formerly 
a slave  in  the  family,  insisted  on  smoking  her  pipe  in  the  chimney 
corner,  under  pretence  of  taking  care  of  the  young  stranger,  who 
regarded  her  with  great  alarm.  Her  picturesque  figure,  illuminated 
by  the  flickering  blaze  of  the  fire,  seemed  to  Mrs.  Quincy  like  a per- 
sonification of  the  dark  shadow  which  slavery  yet  cast  on  the  hearth- 
stone at  Mount  Vernon.  Highly  excited  by  the  associations  of  the 
place,  the  imagination  of  Mr.  Quincy,  even  after  he  sunk  to  slumber, 
faithfully  depicted  the  apartment.  He  thought  he  heard  a heavy 
step  in  the  hall,  and  was  told  the  spirit  of  Washington  always  visited 
the  guests  who  slept  in  that  chamber,  and  was  then  at  his  door. 
Extreme  agitation  caused  him  to  awake ; but  the  scene  remained 
unaltered,  and  it  was  difficult  for  him  to  believe  it  was  a dream. 
Had  the  illusion  continued  a few  moments  longer,  he  might  have 
thought  he  actually  had  seen  and  conversed  Avith  Washington.  This 
incident  is  mentioned  to  prove,  that  Walter  Scott’s  description  of  the 
Vision  of  the  Green  Chamber  at  Monkbarns  is  not  unnatural ; “ ima- 
gination being  much  akin  to  wonder-working  faith.”  Mr.  Quincy 
arose,  and  looked  from  the  window.  The  Potomac  glittered  in  the 
moonlight,  and  the  tomb  of  Washington  Avas  distinctly  visible. 


107 


The  next  morning,  Judge  Washington  accompanied  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Quincy  to  visit  the  garden  and  greenhouse,  and  then  took  a path 
which  led  toward  the  river.  Pausing  before  a simple  wooden  door 
in  the  bank  of  the  Potomac,  he  gave  a key  to  Judge  Cranch,  and 
walked  away,  — endeavoring  to  persuade  his  youngest  visitor  to 
accompany  him.  But,  with  the  petulance  of  childhood,  she  broke 
from  his  grasp ; and,  forcing  her  way  between  her  father  and  J udge 
Cranch,  sprang  through  the  doorway,  and  was  surprised  and  solem- 
nized to  find  herself  surrounded  by  the  repositories  of  the  dead,  and 
close  beside  the  coffin  of  Washington.  It  was  apparently  of  oak, 
raised  slightly  above  the  others,  with  that  of  Mrs.  Washington  beside 
it.  Mrs.  Quincy  was  deeply  touched  by  the  scene,  and  struck  by 
the  exquisite  beauty  of  the  situation.  The  bank  descending  precipit- 
ously to  the  Potomac,  allowed  every  passing  vessel  to  approach 
beneath  the  tomb  of  the  departed  hero,  to  pay  their  tributes  of 
respect,  — 

“ And  oft  suspend  the  dashing  oar 
To  bid  his  gentle  spirit  rest.” 

These  lines  Mrs.  Quincy  quoted  as  she  earnestly  besought  Judge 
Washington  to  remove  the  remains  only  of  the  other  members  of  his 
family  to  the  new  mausoleum,  then  erecting  at  some  distance  from 
the  river ; but  to  leave  those  of  his  illustrious  relative  and  of  Mrs. 
Washington  in  their  appropriate  position  ; close  up  the  tomb  perma- 
nently ; and  erect  among  the  crowning  oaks  and  cedars  a simple 
monument  of  white  marble,  with  no  inscription  but  the  name  of 
George  Washington. 

This  visit  to  Mount  Vernon,  which  ended  the  next  morning,  was 
always  a subject  of  interesting  retrospection ; and  an  affectionate 
friendship  was  sustained  through  life  with  Judge  and  Mrs.  Washington. 

A protracted  session  of  Congress  detained  them  in  Washington 
until  the  22d  of  April.  On  reaching  Boston,  they  re-united  their 
family  at  Quincy,  where  they  passed  the  ensuing  months. 


108 


The  chief  event  of  the  summer  was  a total  eclipse  of  the  sun, — 
a sublime  spectacle,  which  few  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  planet  are 
permitted  to  behold,  especially  under  such  peculiar  advantages  as 
were  given  by  the  extensive  views  of  sea  and  land  and  the  wide 
horizon  at  Quincy.  The  sky  was  without  a cloud  ; the  sun  shone  with 
intense  brilliancy  ; until,  at  the  instant  predicted  by  astronomers,  — by 
many  who  had  died  without  the  sight,  — darkness  shadowed  the  west- 
ern horizon  toward  the  Blue  Hills.  As  the  hours  passed,  and  the  sun 
became  obscured,  star  after  star,  differing  from  each  other  in  glory, 
appeared.  The  cattle  came  home  ; the  birds  ceased  their  warbling, 
and  retired  to  their  nests  ; and  all  the  sounds  of  evening  were  heard. 
A dim  twilight  gleamed  from  the  horizon,  reflected  from  those  regions 
whence  the  sun’s  rays  were  not  excluded.  Night  closed  around ; 
the  eclipse  became  total ; and  for  five  minutes  the  sun  appeared  like 
a dark  globe  in  the  firmament. 

It  Avas  a solemn  moment ; a pause  in  nature,  deep  and  awful. 
There  Avas  time  to  realize  what  the  Avorld  would  be  without  the  sun. 
His  first  returning  ray,  “ shooting  far  into  the  bosom  of  dim  night  a 
glimmering  dawn,”  was  exquisitely  beautiful,  and  Avas  hailed  Avith 
joyful  acclamations.  None  of  the  subsequent  eclipses  of  this  century 
could  be  compared  in  sublime  effect  with  that  which  occurred  on  the 
16th  of  June,  1806.  It  was  a memory  for  life. 


CHAPTER  III. 


In  the  autumn  of  1806,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quincy  made  the  same  arrange- 
ments as  in  the  preceding  winter.  In  1807  and  1808,  Mr.  Quincy  went 
to  Washington  alone,  having  established  his  family  in  a house  he 
owned  on  Oliver  Street,  Fort  Hill,  which  commanded  an  extensive 
view  of  the  harbor  and  environs.  That  vicinity  then  comprised 
many  eligible  situations,  — the  residence  of  Bostonians  of  eminence 
and  wealth. 

At  this  period,  the  political  parties  and  commercial  interests  of 
the  United  States  were  influenced  and  controlled  by  the  conflicts 
of  the  European  powers. 

In  1806,  Bonaparte,  by  the  Berlin  decree  issued  from  the  field  of 
Jena,  declared  the  British  islands  in  a state  of  blockade,  and  prohibit- 
ed all  intercourse  with  them.  After  the  peace  of  Tilsit  in  1807,  he 
became,  as  it  were,  the  dictator  of  Europe.  By  an  extension  of  the 
Berlin  decree,  all  merchandise  derived  from  England  or  her  Colonies 
was  liable  to  seizure,  even  on  board  neutral  vessels.  The  British 
Government  retaliated,  on  the  11th  of  November,  by  orders  in 
Council,  prohibiting  any  neutral  trade  with  France  or  her  allies. 
These  measures  directly  affected  the  United  States,  then  the  only 
neutral  power.  The  carrying-trade  between  the  European  colonies 
and  their  mother-countries,  which  had  been  a source  of  immense 
profit,  was  cut  off,  or  made  to  circulate  through  Great  Britain ; and 
American  commerce  became  the  prey  of  both  the  belligerent  powers. 


110 


A treaty  which  Monroe  and  Pinkney  attempted  to  negotiate  with 
the  British  ministry,  Jefferson  and  Madison  refused  to  ratify;  and,  for 
the  alleged  protection  of  American  property,  imposed  an  embargo  and 
other  commercial  restrictions  more  harassing  to  the  merchants  of  the 
maritime  cities  than  all  the  impediments  placed  in  their  way  by  Great 
Britain.* 

These  were  the  chief  causes  of  the  political  excitement  described 
in  the  correspondence,  from  which  extracts  are  here  inserted  : — • 


To  Hon.  Josiah  Quincy , City  of  Washington. 

Boston,  Thanksgiving  Day,  Dec.  1,  1808. 

All  our  dear  children  are  once  more  together  ; but  you  are 
absent.  On  this  day  of  the  happy  meeting  of  families  and  friends,  I 
cannot  help  contrasting  our  divided  situation.  On  this  day  of  thanks- 
giving, there  is  no  subject  which  excites  more  in  my  mind  than  the 
location  of  our  family  in  New  England,  and,  above  all,  in  Boston. 
Would  you  were  here  with  us ! But  you  are  in  the  place  of  duty, 
and  that  is  always  the  right  and  safe  place.  . . . Dr.  Kirkland 
disappointed  many  of  his  audience  by  the  moderation  of  his  sermon. 
It  was  less  political  than  on  any  former  occasion ; when  it  was  ex- 
pected to  be  the  reverse,  from  the  excited  state  of  the  public  mind. 

I went  to  the  Old  South  in  the  afternoon.  Dr.  Eckley  gave  a most 
violent  philippic  against  the  present  rulers  and  measures.  He  spoke 
of  Jefferson,  French  influence,  prejudice  against  Britain,  Ac. ; made 
out  the  title  of  Bonaparte  to  the  character  of  the  second  beast  in 
Revelation,  — Antichrist.  Endeavoring  to  rouse  the  spirit  of  the 
country,  he  exclaimed,  “Where  is  the  warning  voice  of  Washington? 
where,  the  spirit  of  our  forefathers?  Where  is  the  zeal  of  New  Eng- 
land?” He  commanded  the  deepest  attention.  I almost  expected  to 


Hildreth’s  “ History  of  the  United  States,”  second  series,  2d  and  3d  vols. 


Ill 


hear  the  people  huzza  at  the  close.  The  musicians  in  the  gallery 
actually  struck  up  “ Washington’s  March ; ” to  the  music  of  which  we 
all  marched  home  to  comment  on  the  sermon. 

Dec.  7,  1808. 

I believe  I must  present  a complaint  to  you,  in  your  public  capa- 
city, upon  the  oppressive  effects  of  the  embargo.  I commissioned 
S.  Cabot,  jun.,  to  send  me  from  Philadelphia  half  a barrel  of  buck- 
wheat meal  and  some  sweet  potatoes  ; but  the  wise  and  vigilant 
revenue-officers,  with  great  valor,  refused  to  allow  them  to  be  sent 
without  a special  license. 

The  greatest  gloom  and  consternation  prevail  at  the  news,  brought 
by  express  last  evening,  of  the  passage  of  the  Non-intercourse  Bill, 
&c.  Every  one  hoped,  to  the  last  moment,  that  the  ruling  party 
would  stop  short  of  this  full  measure  of  folly  and  oppression. 

Dec.  23. 

Mr.  Higginson  asked  me  if  I had  seen  your  second  speech,  and 
said  that  it  was  more  powerful  and  animated  than  the  first,  though 
not  perhaps  containing  any  one  paragraph  equal  to  the  idea  of  the 
Goddess  of  Liberty  as  a sea-nymph,  — a figure  which  he  said  Dr. 
Kirkland,  McKean,  and  Lowell  pronounced  admirable.* 

I was  pleased  to  see  so  little  of  personality  in  your  speech.  Even 
Mr.  Bacon  seemed  to  be  more  excited  by  the  chafing  of  his  own 
conviction  than  by  the  effect  of  your  accusation. 

Your  friends  seem  to  be  entirely  sensible  of  the  merit  of  your 
exertions.  Mr.  George  Cabot  said  I must  take  out  a policy  of 
insurance  upon  you,  if  you  went  on  at  this  rate  ; adding,  the  whole 
town  could  not  furnish  as  much  as  you  were  worth. 

The  people  are  almost  up  in  arms  about  Giles’s  bill  and  Gallatin’s 
letter. 


Speech  on  Foreign  Relations,  in  reply  to  Mr.  Bacon,  Dec.  7. 


112 


Jan.  6,  1809. 

You  will  probably  see  by  the  newspapers  the  dreadful  story  in 
circulation,  that  you  bad  fallen  in  a duel.  Though  it  had  been  the 
town-talk  for  a week,  I never  heard  it  till  yesterday,  when  Mr.  Whit- 
ney came  here,  and  said  Josiah  had  been  greatly  distressed  by  it. 
Half  the  people  of  Quincy  had  been  to  ask  him  if  the  story  was  true. 
It  had  been  brought  out  there  by  the  market-men.  Although  known 
to  our  family,  it  was  never  repeated  to  me.  The  messages  sent  to 
ask  when  I had  heard  from  you  were  usually  not  given  : the  few 
repeated  did  not  excite  suspicion.  It  was  not  mentioned  in  the 
newspapers  till  to-day,  when  its  falsehood  was  generally  known.  How 
or  where  it  originated,  no  one  knows.  Thank  Heaven,  you  are  safe, 
and  will  remain  so ! I have  no  fear  from  such  dangers. 

Mr.  Whitney  said  he  had  presented  your  gift  of  a Bible  to  the 
town  of  Quincy.  The  parish  was  highly  gratified  by  your  attention, 
and  a vote  of  thanks  was  passed.  He  said  that  the  former  Bible  was 
given  by  your  great-grandfather,  Edmund  Quincy,  — a circumstance 
we  were  before  unacquainted  with. 


Jan.  15. 

I sent  your  letter  to  Otis,  as  you  directed.  I passed  last  evening 
at  Mr.  Davis’s.  Mr.  J.  Lee,  who  was  there,  said  Mr.  Cabot  had 
received  a most  gloomy  letter  from  Mr.  Wolcott  upon  the  state  and 
prospects  of  the  country.  The  “ Wasp  ” is  lying  in  the  harbor, 
watching  the  motions  of  the  merchants.  Mr.  Lee  said  he  should  not 
be  surprised  if  sbe  was  burnt  before  spring.  The  United-States 
officers,  in  general,  are  becoming  objects  of  popular  detestation. 

You  seem  to  be  anxious  to  hear  how  the  people  will  submit 
to  the  new  enforcement  of  the  Embargo  Law.  »I  fancy  it  will  not 
be  long  before  they  give  some  positive  proofs  of  their  abhorrence. 
Mr.  James  Perkins  said  this  evening,  that  a letter  he  had  received 
from  you  to-day  had  been  taken  by  his  brother,  T.  H.  Perkins, 


113 


to  Judge  Parsons  ; and  they  had  agreed,  with  other  gentlemen,  to 
meet  this  evening  to  concert  measures.  The  merchants  and  other 
Federalists  think  this  last  act  of  oppressive  tyranny  will  have  a good 
effect,  and  are  determined  how  to  act,  — to  proceed  with  calmness 
and  moderation ; and,  on  the  first  occasion  of  a demand  from  the  Col- 
lector “ to  give  bonds  to  six  times  the  amount  of  a cargo,”  to  refuse 
to  comply.  The  Collector  then  must  apply  to  the  District  Attorney. 
He  must,  acting  officially  or  through  application  to  the  Governor, 
order  an  armed  force.  The  owners  will  refuse  to  open  their  vessels, 
or  give  their  keys  for  examination.  The  officers  of  Government 
break  open,  unlade,  or  take  into  custody,  the  goods  and  property  of 
the  citizens.  A suit  is  then  to  be  instituted,  and  a town-meeting 
called.  They  are  determined  not  to  submit  in  a single  instance,  nor 
countenance  any  one  who  will.  They  only  fear  they  shall  not  be  able 
to  prevent  all  premature  violence.  Mr.  Perkins  desired  me  to  relate 
this  to  you  on  his  authority. 

Jan.  17,  1809. 

You  will  see  the  papers  of  to-day  dressed  in  mourning.  The  new 
law  has  been  received  by  the  Collector.  This  is  an  eventful  period. 
Heaven  will  preserve  us,  I hope,  from  distress  and  ruin. 

I am  greatly  encouraged  by  Mr.  Hillhouse’s  message  and  promise 
to  stand  by  you.  His  mode  of  fighting  “ from  behind  a tree,  with  a 
tomahawk,”  is  entirely  consonant  to  my  ideas ; and,  in  Washington, 
I hope  neither  you  nor  he  will  ever  find  the-  want  of  a tree  to  get 
behind  on  such  an  occasion. 

Jan.  19. 

Both  General  Lincoln  and  Mr.  Weld  have  resigned  their  offices  in 
the  Custom  House.  I heard  yesterday  that  General  Lincoln  had 
written  word  to  the  President,  that  he  had  fought  for  the  liberties  of 
his  country,  and  spent  his  best  years  in  her  service ; and  that  he  was 
not,  in  his  old  age,  to  be  made  an  instrument  to  violate  what  he  had 
assisted  to  acquire.  I am  glad  you  keep  clear  of  the  question  of 

15 


114 


“ arming  and  equipping  the  frigates.”  As  things  are  now  managed, 
it  is  rather  an  equivocal  policy,  as  they  will  be  entirely  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  President  of  the  United  States. 

Jan.  30,  1809. 

Mr.  Perkins  showed  me,  yesterday,  Lloyd’s  letter  to  him,  written 
on  the  20th,  after  your  late  contest.  He  says  that  you  have  done 
honor  to  yourself,  and  deserve  well  of  your  country.  Such  applause, 
from  such  a man  as  Mr.  Lloyd,  is  worth  a great  deal.  I agree  with 
him,  that  the  affair  now  stands  in  the  best  possible  form.  You  have 
taken  true  and  High  ground.  It  is  the  triumph  of  principle  over 
brutality  and  degrading  violence. 

William  Shaw  was  here  last  evening.  He  had  dined  the  day 
before  at  Colonel  Humphries’  with  Gore  and  Otis.  They  had  seen 
Lloyd’s  letter,  and  expressed  warm  approbation  of  your  conduct. 

This  morning,  a miserable  account  of  that  debate  appeared  in  the 
“ Gazette,”  copied  from  the  “ Monitor.” 

Shaw  came  to  ask  my  permission  to  frame  a more  accurate  state- 
ment from  your  letter  to  me,  to  be  published  in  the  “ Palladium  ” as 
an  “ Extract  from  a Letter  from  Washington.”  I consented  to  dictate 
such  paragraphs  as  seemed  requisite  to  place  your  conduct  in  a cor- 
rect light.  He  said  it  was  generally  wished  that  a copy  of  your 
first  speech,  which  produced  all  this  irritation  and  interest,  should 
be  published. 


Extract  of  a Letter  from  Washington , Jan.  20,  1809.* 

Yesterday  and  to-day,  there  has  been  in  the  House  of  Represen- 
tatives one  of  the  warmest  and  most  impassioned  discussions  ever 
witnessed  by  a legislative  assembly,  on  the  bill  for  the  next  meeting 
of  Congress.  Mr.  Quincy  made  an  attack  upon  the  Administration, 


* “New-England  Palladium,”  Jan.  31,  1809. 


115 


which  called  forth  all  the  virulence  of  the  Executive  phalanx ; and, 
to-day,  Campbell  and  Jackson  went  into  the  House  with  the  apparent 
determination  to  reduce  him  to  the  same  necessity  to  which  Garde- 
nier  was  forced  last  session.  Irritated  by  his  attacks,  and  unable  to 
answer  him,  they  poured  out  upon  him  a torrent  of  gross  and  illiberal 
abuse.  Mr.  Quincy,  in  reply,  stated  specifically  his  ground,  and  told 
them  that  his  honor  was  of  little  worth  if  it  lay  in  the  mouths  of  such 
men,  and  not  in  his  own  conduct.  He  was  no  duellist.  He  had  the 
honor  to  represent,  not  only  a wise,  a moral,  a powerful  and  intelli- 
gent, but  a religious  people  ; that,  among  them,  to  avenge  wrongs  of 
words,  by  resorting  to  the  course  of  conduct  to  which  it  was  obvi- 
ously intended  to  reduce  him,  was  so  far  from  being  honorable,  that 
it  would  be  a disgrace  to  any  man. 

To  gain  the  temporary  applause  of  such  men  as  his  assailants, 
whom  he  could  only  pity  and  despise,  he  should  not  sacrifice  his  own 
principles,  nor  forfeit  the  respect  of  those  whose  good  opinion  was 
the  highest  reward  of  his  life.  If  they  expected  by  such  artifices  to 
deter  him  from  doing  his  duty,  they  would  find  themselves  mistaken. 
Where  he  was  known , nothing  they  could  say  would  injure  him ; and, 
where  they  were  known,  he  believed  the  effect  would  not  be  greater. 

Jan.  31,  1809. 

You  will  see  in  the  “ Palladium  ” of  to-day  the  notice  I allowed  to 
be  inserted.  I hope  you  will  not  disapprove  it.  I am  satisfied  it 
was  requisite. 

Jonathan  Phillips  and  Dr.  Kirkland  called  to-day,  and  each 
expressed  pleasure  that  such  a statement  had  superseded  the  one 
in  the  “ Gazette.”  . 

Buckminster  was  here  this  morning.  He  said  he  had  rather  be 
the  author  of  that  retort  of  yours,  which  appeared  to-day,  than  of 
all  the  speeches  you  ever  made,  however  eloquent  or  elegant.  He 
requested  me  to  give  him  pencil  and  paper,  and  permission  to  tell 


you  in  my  letter  how  much  he  felt  obliged  and  gratified  by  the 
respect  you  had  paid  to  principle,  and  the  example  you  had  given. 
I supplied  the  materials  requested,  though  not  the  exact  medium  of 
conveyance,  — my  letter. 

I see  that  General  Lincoln  is  hardly  treated  in  the  “ Intelligencer  ” 
and  “ Monitor  ” for  resigning  his  office,  and  charged  with  a “ deliberate 
purpose  to  conspire  with  the  disaffected ; that  he  is  one  whom  the 
forbearance  of  Government  has  retained  in  office,  in  opposition  to 
the  wishes  of  a respectable  class  of  the  community ! ” When  such 
charges  and  falsehoods  are  made  against  the  venerable  General  Lin- 
coln, it  seems  incredible  that  you  should  be  left  alone  to  defend  him, 
and  to  expose  the  true  motives  &f  the  Executive  for  keeping  him  in 
an  office  which  he  wished  to  resign.  Your  procedure  strikes  me  as 
honorable  and  correct.  Your  moving  these  resolutions  is  also  a proof 
that  you  are  not  deterred  by  the  late  occurrences  from  coming  for- 
ward more  boldly  than  ever. 

Feb.  1,  1809. 

Your  resolutions  appeared  in  the  paper  to-day,  with  compliments 
to  you  on  your  defence  of  General  Lincoln.* 

The  temper  of  the  people  here  begins  to  rise  quite  high ; but  I 
hope  there  will  be  no  violent  acts.  In  consequence  of  the  new  orders 
to  Colonel  Boyd,  not  to  allow  any  vessel,  upon  any  account  whatever, 
to  pass  Fort  Independence,  the  colors  of  all  the  vessels  in  the  harbor 
were  hoisted  at  half-mast.  In  the  afternoon,  Captain  M.  Joy  came  in 
with  his  colors  flying ; and  upon  being  informed  of  the  reason,  and 
requested  to  lower  his,  he  refused,  and  armed  himself,  declaring  that 
he  would  shoot  any  one  who  attempted  to  do  it.  A number  of  men, 
however,  jumped  on  board,  disarmed  him,  and  lowered  the  flags; 
after  which  they  quietly  dispersed.  But  there  were  serious  appre- 
hensions of  a riot. 


* See  the  “Columbian  Centinel,”  Feb.  1 and  4,  1809. 


117 


Several  of  your  friends  have  sent  me  the  “Washington  Federalist,” 
which  contained  the  tribute  to  you.  You  cannot  wish  for  more  enthu- 
siasm in  your  favor  than  they  exhibit. 

Feb.  15,  1809. 

Mr.  William  H.  Sumner  called  to  ask  if  I had  received  any  par- 
ticulars of  the  attack  made  upon  you  by  Campbell  ; because  the 
Legislature  had  appointed  a committee  to  inquire  whether  attempts 
had  been  recently  made  in  Congress  to  restrain  freedom  of  debate, 
and  whether  the  free  investigation  of  the  measures  of  Government, 
by  any  member  from  this  State,  had  been  made  the  ground  of 
insult,  &c.  “ This  committee  had  not  reported , because  they  had 

been  waiting  to  see  the  debate  alluded  to  correctly  given.  They 
had  no  data  upon  which  to  ground  such  a report  as  they  wished  to 
make,  except  verbal  accounts,  or  anonymous  paragraphs  in  the  news- 
papers.” I told  Mr.  Sumner  you  said,  in  one  of  your  last  letters,  that 
“ they  would  probably  never  see  the  debate  in  question,  or  not  for 
some  time,  as  the  ‘ National  Intelligencer  ’ had  dropped  it,”  either 
with  the  design  of  injuring  you,  or  at  least  keeping  out  of  sight  their 
attack  and  your  reply ; which  placed  the  affair  upon  the  true  ground, 
and  gave  you  the  advantage  in  the  contest,  which  they  would  will- 
ingly conceal. 

The  opinion  of  Gardenier,  of  the  obvious  intention  of  the  opposite 
party  to  reduce  you  to  the  necessity  of  fighting,  which  he  had  stated 
on  the  floor  of  the  House,  had  been  published.  The  general  senti- 
ment of  indignation  against  them,  and  in  favor  of  you,  was  also  an 
evidence  of  the  fact.  The  only  proofs  to.be  found  were  in  the 
accounts  published  in  the  papers,  in  detached  parts  of  the  debates, 
and  in  the  letters  of  Mr.  Lloyd  and  others.  He  begged  me  to  urge 
you  to  obtain  the  minutes  of  the  stenographers,  and,  from  your  own 
memory,  write  a satisfactory  account  for  publication. 

Mr.  Davis  came  in  with  your  letter,  in  which  you  tell  him  of  the 
recommitment  of  the  embargo  question  to  the  Campbell  Committee. 


118 


The  people,  by  this  news,  were  sadly  taken  aback,  as  the  sailors  say. 
He  brought  also  Northampton  papers,  containing  an  account  of  a 
meeting  there,  composed  of  delegates  from  fifty  towns.  They  passed 
spirited  resolutions  approving  your  conduct,  and  ordered  their 
secretary  to  transmit  to  you  a vote  of  thanks.  Such  a tribute  is 
highly  gratifying,  coming  from  a body  of  men  so  far  removed  from 
your  immediate  district. 

Feb.  18,  1809. 

My  mind  has  been  recently  engrossed  by  the  dangerous  illness 
and  death  of  our  neighbor  Mrs.  S.  Cabot.  She  was  very  dear  to 
me  ; and  our  intercourse,  this  winter,  has  been  more  frequent  and 
interesting  than  ever.  Her  confidence  in  me  was  unbounded ; and 
the  more  I discovered  of  her  mind,  principles,  opinions,  and  views, 
the  more  highly  did  I respect  and  love  her.  Her  attachment  to  me 
rendered  her  very  interesting ; and  I have  the  grateful  reflection  to 
console  me,  that  I added  greatly  to  the  enjoyment  of  her  life  ever 
since  I have  known  her,  but  especially  during  the  last  months  of  it. 

Ever  yours, 

Eliza  S.  Quincy. 

An  extra  session  of  Congress  caused  Mr.  Quincy  to  return  to 
Washington,  and  this  correspondence  was  recommenced. 


To  Mrs.  Eliza  S.  Quincy. 

Washington,  21st  May,  1809. 

My  dear  Wife,  — My  journey  has  been  pleasant.  From  New 
York,  G-ardenier,  Dana,  Goodrich,  and  Pitkin  were  my  companions ; 
and,  from  Philadelphia,  Tallmadge,  Champion,  and  Sturgis. 

I have  as  yet  no  business  to  occupy  my  mind.  To  resist  the 
current  of  reflections  setting  homeward,  I walked  out  this  morning 
on  Capitol  Hill.  Had  you  been  at  my  side,  I should  have  had 


119 


nothing  more  to  desire.  The  verdure  was  most  perfect ; the  scene, 
beautiful  and  picturesque.  I had  always  admired  this  view  in  the 
dreary  aspect  of  winter ; but  now  the  whole  of  the  fine  plain  between 
Capitol  Hill  and  the  Potomac  is  covered  with  a dark  and  splendid 
green,  interspersed  with  blooming  shrubbery.  Cattle  graze  over  it 
freely.  Scarcely  a fence  interferes  with  their  rambles ; scarcely  a 
tree  breaks  the  level  of  the  prospect.  The  course  of  the  Potomac 
embraces  this  beautiful  plain,  which  terminates  at  its  junction  with 
the  Eastern  Branch.  On  one  side  is  the  rising  city  of  Alexandria : 
on  the  other,  an  abrupt  hill  juts  out  at  the  point  of  union.  The 
land  rises  on  the  Virginia  bank,  with  a gentle  slope  from  the  river  to 
the  horizon,  which  gives  to  the  grasp  of  the  eye  all  the  intervening 
objects,  — rich  meadows,  cultivated  fields,  noble  woods ; the  whole 
forming  a most  delightful  assemblage.  At  this  season,  Nature,  joy- 
ous at  her  rejuvenescence,  arrays  herself  in  her  most  gorgeous  robes, 
rich  in  every  color  to  awaken  an  interest  in  her  charms.  I stood  on 
the  hill’s  brow  for  a moment : the  pleasure  of  the  prospect  absorbed 
my  soul.  The  effect  was  transient.  The  objects  of  my  affections  and 
my  hopes  rushed  back  into  my  memory. 

Thus  I strive  to  shorten  the  distance  between  us,  but  in  vain. 
You  and  ours  are  ever  in  my  recollection. 

To  Josiah  Quincy. 

Boston,  May  29,  1809. 

I was  much  pleased  with  your  description  of  the  prospects  around 
you  in  their  summer  dress.  I stood  with  you  on  the  brow  of  Capitol 
Hill,  and  fancied  all  you  described.  Wherever  you  go,  I am  ever 
with  you.  I sit  with  you  at  the  social  board  and  in  the  great  assem- 
bly, and  try  to  lose  the  sense  of  distance  and  solitude  by  associating 
myself  with  you  in  all  your  engagements,  employments,  and  pursuits. 
I hope  you  will  call  on  the  President,  and  attend  Mrs.  Madison’s 
drawing-room ; and  that  you  will  accompany  your  friends  in  all  their 


120 


excursions.  It  will  give  me  pleasure  to  share  them  with  you  in 
imagination.  You  describe  admirably.  I did  not  give  you  credit 
for  being  so  good  a painter.  . . . 

The  children  went  to  Quincy  yesterday,  and  had  a very  happy 
time.  They  returned  with  such  accounts  of  the  delightful  appearance 
of  the  place,  — its  beauty  and  fragrance,  and  improved  aspect  from 
the  growth  of  the  trees  and  shrubs,  — that  I feel,  indeed,  impatient 
to  be  there.  It  will  not  be  long  now,  I assure  myself,  before  we  may 
enjoy  the  pleasure  of  viewing  ourselves  surrounded  by  our  children 
in  that  scene  of  your  father’s  partial  regard  ; dear  to  me  for  that 
recollection,  and  for  the  affection  of  that  other  parent,  who  distin- 
guished you  by  the  bequest  of  it.  Surely,  if  the  events  and  scenes 
of  “ this  dim  spot  ” can  interest  the  spirits  of  another  sphere,  they 
must  be  gratified  ; and  that  consideration,  even  now,  must  have  a 
salutary  effect  upon  their  descendants. 

Ever  yours,  Eliza  S.  Quincy. 


To  Mrs.  Eliza  S.  Quincy. 

Washington,  4th  June,  1809. 

I dined  yesterday  at  Mount  Vernon.  Sixteen  or  twenty  members 
of  Congress,  all  Federal,  were  of  the  party.  Mrs.  Washington  was 
absent ; the  Judge  extremely  pleasant  and  polite. 

The  view  from  Mount  Vernon  appeared  much  more  beautiful  to 
me  than  when  we  visited  it  in  March,  1806.  The  house  is  in  good 
repair,  the  gardens  well  cultivated,  and  the  whole  estate  in  sufficient 
order.  At  this  season,  the  scenery  is  indescribably  interesting. 
There  is  a richness  in  the  foliage,  a fulness  of  flower  and  herbage, 
equal  to  any  I ever  witnessed.  Nature  appears  in  a wild  bursting 
luxuriance,  and  throws  an  air  of  unaffected  negligence  over  her 
drapery,  that  wins  and  fascinates.  The  place  might  be  improved ; 
but  such  attempts  might  balance  the  pleasure  they  attained. 


121 


r% 


I conversed  with  Washington’s  old  servant  Billy.  He  could  not 
speak  of  his  master  without  tears.  He  said  that  he  was  never  out  of 
his  mind  for  two  hours,  and  that  he  scarcely  ever  passed  a night 
without  dreaming  of  him. 

On  this  visit,  I had  no  cause  of  regret  but  that  you  were  not 
with  me.  . . . 

Josiah  Quincy. 


16 


CHAPTER  IV. 


During  the  summer  of  1807,  a notice  of  the  “ Letters  from  the  Moun- 
tains, by  Mrs.  Anne  Grant,”  in  Aiken’s  “ Annual  Review,”  attracted 
the  attention  of  Mrs.  Quincy,  — especially  a letter  describing  a day 
at  Laggan.  She  marked  the  passage,  and  lent  the  book  to  Miss  Low- 
ell, who  coincided  in  her  opinion,  and  consequently  formed  the  design 
of  having  an  American  edition  of  the  work  published  from  a copy  her 
brother  (the  Rev.  Charles  Lowell)  had  then  recently  brought  from 
Edinburgh,  and  of  sending  the  profits  to  the  writer.  This  benevolent 
enterprise  was  accomplished  in  1809  ; and,  with  a subsequent  corre- 
spondence with  Mrs.  Grant,  proved  a source  of  great  interest  and 
pleasure  to  Miss  Lowell. 

When  conversing  on  the  subject,  Mrs.  Quincy  remarked,  that,  while 
the  ladies  of  Boston  were  kindly  assisting  Mrs.  Grant,  they  ought  to 
remember  that  their  own  country-woman,  Hannah  Adams,  the  author- 
ess of  valuable  works,  was  braiding  straw  for  a livelihood.  Miss 
Lowell  acknowledged  the  force  of  the  appeal,  and  the  two  friends 
succeeded  in  obtaining  subscribers  to  a life-annuity  for  Miss  Adams. 
It  was  requisite  that  the  subscriptions  of  married  women  should 
stand  in  the  names  of  their  husbands ; but  Miss  Lowell’s  estate  could 
be  rendered  liable,  and  her  contribution  was  annually  paid  for  twenty- 
one  years  after  her  decease.  Mrs.  Quincy  was  the  friend  Miss 
Adams  mentions  on  the  first  page  of  her  Autobiography,*  at  whose 

* Edited,  and  concluded  in  1832,  by  Mrs.  G.  G.  Lee  of  Boston. 


I 


request  it  was  written.  Mrs.  Shaw  of  Dedham,  the  widow  of  Major 
Shaw,  allowed  Miss  Adams  a hundred  dollars  annually  for  twenty- 
five  years. 

Among  the  elder  friends  of  Mrs.  Quincy  at  this  period,  to  whom 
she  was  affectionately  attached,  were  Jonathan  Jackson,  Esq.,  of  Bos- 
ton, and  Richard  Cranch  of  Quincy.  Retaining  the  dress  and  manners 
of  the  last  century,  Mr.  Jackson  was  a fine  specimen  of  the  gentle- 
men of  the  old  school.  He  often  described  to  her  the  exciting  scenes 
of  the  American  Revolution,  and  said,  that,  on  any  political  crisis,  he 
always  drove  out  to  Braintree  to  consult  his  relative,  Colonel  Josiali 
Quincy,  who  was  then  his  Magnus  Apollo.  He  gave  Mrs.  Quincy, 
for  her  youngest  son,  a portrait  of  his  ancestor,  Judge  Edmund 
Quincy. 

Richard  Cranch,  an  Englishman  by  birth,  was  a man  of  powerful 
mind  and  scientific  attainments,  and  had  been  an  intimate  friend  of 
the  father  and  grandfather  of  Mr.  Quincy.  In  personal  appearance,  he 
resembled  the  portraits  of  John  Locke.  His  wife,  the  sister  of  Mrs. 
Abigail  Adams,  was  also  distinguished  for  excellence  of  character,  and 
strength  of  intellect.  Their  long  and  useful  lives  were  closed  within 
a few  hours*  of  each  other,  on  the  16th  and  17th  of  October,  1811. 

In  the  autumn  of  1809,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quincy  leased  their  house  in 
Boston,  made  arrangements  similar  to  those  of  preceding  years,  and 
pursued  the  same  route  to  Washington.  Passing  through  New  Jer- 
sey, they  stopped  for  the  night  at  Holmesville,  a town  situated  on  the 
Neshaminy,  four  miles  from  its  confluence  with  the  Delaware.  In 
the  evening,  Mr.  Holmes,  the  chief  proprietor  of  the  place,  a venerable 
man  in  the  Quaker  dress,  called  on  Mr.  Quincy,  attended  by  his  two 
sons,  and  informed  him  that  he  had  often  read  his  speeches,  and  came 
to  thank  him  for  the  views  and  principles  he  supported  in  Congress. 


* In  the  last  years  of  his  life,  Mr.  Cranch  raised  from  the  seed  a number  of  elm-trees,  which 
he  bequeathed  to  Mr.  Quincy,  and  which  now  ornament  his  estate. 


124 


In  reply  to  inquiries,  Mr.  Holmes  said,  “ When  I purchased  the 
site  of  this  village,  fourteen  years  ago,  there  was  only  one  dwelling- 
house  upon  it : now  there  are  thirty,  besides  stores  and  workshops,  a 
valuable  set  of  mills,  and  a stone  bridge  over  the  Neshaminy.  Here 
I have  established  a numerous  family.  I might  have  educated 
one  of  my  sons  as  a lawyer,  or  set  one  up  as  a merchant : but  I 
had  not  property  enough  to  give  them  all  such  advantages ; and 
I wished  to  make  them  equal,  attached  to  each  other,  and  useful 
members  of  society.  One  of  them  is  a miller,  another  a storekeeper, 
a blacksmith,  a tanner,  a farmer,  a coach-maker,  — all  masters  of  their 
respective  employments  ; and  they  all  assist  each  other.  I have  been 
rewarded  by  their  good  conduct  and  grateful  affection.  No  one  of 
them  envies  another.  I have  never  heard  an  expression  of  discon- 
tent. We  live  like  one  family,  and  my  children  and  grandchildren 
are  the  comforts  of  my  old  age.” 

The  master  of  the  hotel  afterwards  said  that  Mr.  Holmes  was  the 
benefactor  of  all  around  him.  For  several  years,  he  would  not  allow 
a public-house  to  be  opened,  but  received  travellers  at  his  own  resi- 
dence, without  accepting  any  remuneration,  until  the  growth  of  the 
town  forced  him  to  alter  his  arrangements,  when  he  built  one  ac- 
cording to  his  own  plan,  not  allowing  any  bar-room  for  the  sale  of 
liquor. 

The  next  morning,  Mr.  Holmes  attended  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quincy  to 
see  his  mills  and  his  improvements.  They  were  delighted  with  his 
arrangements,  and,  when  the  hour  of  parting  came,  took  a reluctant 
leave  of  their  new  friend,  who  had  highly  excited  their  admiration 
and  respect.  Mrs.  Quincy  often  recurred  to  the  incident,  and  always 
said  that  Mr.  Holmes  was  one  of  the  best  men  and  the  most  practical 
philosopher  she  had  ever  met  with ; that  “ his  virtue  proved  him 
truly  wise.” 

In  Philadelphia  they  passed  several  days  with  Mrs.- Jackson,  who 
resided  at  the  corner  of  Arch  and  Fourth  Street.  Among  their  visit- 


ors  were  Mr.  J.  Dennie  (the  editor  of  the  “Portfolio”),  Mr.  John 
Vaughan,  and  other  Philadelphians.  On  the  22d  of  November,  they 
resumed  their  journey.  At  Christiana  Bridge,  in  Delaware,  they  met 
Mr.  J.  R.  Poinsett  of  South  Carolina,  and  Mr.  T.  Jones  of  Boston, 
equipped  for  a journey  of  a thousand  miles,  from  Boston  to  Charleston. 
They  travelled  in  an  open  carriage,  with  two  horses  tandem,  attended 
by  a servant  on  horseback.  This  meeting  was  the  introduction  to 
many  others,  which  proved  agreeable  to  all  parties. 

At  the  Susquehannah,  boistei’ous  weather  detained  the  travellers 
half  a day.  Aft3r  sending  their  carriage  and  four  horses  over  the 
river,  two  miles  in  width,  in  a scow  to  Havre  de  Grace,  they  crossed 
in  a row-boat.  Ice,  brought  down  by  the  current  through  which 
the  boatmen  forced  a way  with  their  oars,  threatened  a formidable 
obstacle  to  their  passage.  The  scene  reminded  Mrs.  Quincy  of  an 
interesting  incident  mentioned  to  her  at  Havre  de  Grace  in  1807> 
and  recounted  at  her  request  by  Commodore  Rogers,  who  had  then 
recently  married  a lady  of  that  place. 

After  a severe  winter,  when  the  river  was  filled  with  floating  ice, 
a negro  man  and  woman  were  descried  on  separate  fragments  tending 
toward  the  Chesapeake.  Their  fate  seemed  inevitable ; but  Rogers, 
who  could  not  see  human  beings  perish  without  an  effort,  endeavored 
to  induce  some  one  to  follow  his  directions,  and  attempt  their  rescue. 
Finding  that  no  reward  would  tempt  any  man  to  run  the  risk,  he 
determined  to  go  himself.  As  no  boat  could  live,  he  took  two  planks, 
and  alternately  walking  on  one,  and  throwing  the  other  before  him 
over  the  moving  ice,  at  length  reached  the  woman,  seized  her,  and 
returned  in  the  same  manner.  His  difficulties  were  now  redoubled : 
for  the  poor  creature  was  so  benumbed  by  the  cold,  that  she  was 
utterly  helpless ; and  he  was  obliged  to  push  her  before  him,  and  to 
manage  the  plank  at  the  same  time.  But  his  noble  efforts,  watched 
with  intense  interest  by  all  the  inhabitants  of  Havre  de  Grace, 
succeeded.  Amid  loud  acclamations,  he  landed  with  the  woman  in 


126 


safety.  His  bride  witnessed  the  scene  from  a balcony,  but  fainted 
the  moment  he  touched  the  shore. 

The  negro  man,  carried  by  the  current  near  the  bank,  escaped,  and 
came  with  his  wife  to  thank  Commodore  Rogers.  They  said  they 
were  crossing  the  river  some  miles  above  Havre  de  Grace,  where  the 
ice  was  firm ; but  it  suddenly  broke  up,  and  caused  the  peril  from 
which  they  had  been  rescued.  As  they  were  free  blacks,  they  begged 
him  to  allow  them  to  prove  their  gratitude  by  becoming  his  slaves ; 
but  he  told  them  to  go,  and  be  happy.  He  did  not  save  the  woman’s 
life  to  deprive  her  of  freedom,  and  wanted  no  reward  but  the  con- 
sciousness of  having  done  a good  action.  Mrs.  Quincy  often  mentioned 
this  anecdote  as  a proof  of  true  courage,  and  heroism  of  character,  far 
beyond  any  that  could  be  given  amid  the  excitement  of  a battle. 

At  Gadsby’s  Hotel,  in  Baltimore,  Francis  J.  Jackson,  Esq.,  the 
British  minister  recently  dismissed  from  Washington,  had  apartments 
near  those  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quincy.  In  the  evening,  a band  of  music 
attracted  a crowd  under  their  windows,  and  excited  apprehensions, 
as  it  would  not  have  been  an  agreeable  incident  to  be  mistaken  for 
the  English  envoy  and  his  family  by  a Baltimore  mob.  The  populace 
began  to  be  noisy;  and  the  band,  instead  of  complimenting  Mr.  Jack- 
son  with  “ God  save  the  King,”  as  they  probably  intended,  obeyed 
loud  demands  for  “Hail  Columbia”  and  “Yankee  Doodle,”  and  then 
departed,  to  the  great  relief  of  Mrs.  Quincy.  Mr.  Broome  and  Mr. 
Hanson,  residents  of  Baltimore,  afterwards  said  that  her  fears  were 
well  grounded.  At  that  period,  they  never  heard  a drum  beat  after 
sunset,  without  apprehending  a serious  commotion. 

The  next  day,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quincy  gladly  left  Baltimore ; and,  on 
the  27th  of  November,  arrived  at  the  city  of  Washington.  They  had 
taken  all  the  accommodations  in  one  of  the  Six  Buildings,  then  the 
last  block  in  Pennsylvania  Avenue,  toward  Georgetown.  Extracts 
from  the  letters  here  inserted  will  describe  the  occurrences  and 
society  of  the  ensuing  winter. 


To  Miss  Storer,  Boston. 

City  of  Washington,  Dec.  4,  1809. 

My  dear  Friend,  — With  our  situation  here  we  are  much  pleased. 
Our  apartments  are  convenient,  and  even  elegant.  The  inhabitants 
of  this  vast  city  are  scattered  over  such  an  extent  of  ground,  that  it 
is  almost  the  work  of  a day  to  reach  either  extreme.  I visited  Mrs. 
Madison  on  Saturday;  and,  on  Sunday,  received  a return.  She  is 
very  much  disposed  to  please,  and  appears  lady-like  and  agreeable. 
The  President’s  house  is  much  improved,  and  is  a residence  worthy 
the  head  of  a great  nation.  On  Sunday,  I attended  service  in  the 
new  Hall  of  Representatives,  and  was  delighted  with  the  style  and 
elegance  of  the  architecture. 

Conversation  here  is  chiefly  engrossed  by  a late  duel  between  Mr. 
Pearson,  a Federalist  from  North  Carolina,  and  T.  G.  Jackson,  brother- 
in-law  to  the  President,  who  was  the  aggTessor,  and  is  dangerously 
wounded.  He  was  one  of  the  bullies  who  attacked  Mr.  Quincy  last 
winter.  In  another  duel,  fought  in  this  vicinity  a few  days  since,  a 
fine  young  man  of  seventeen  lost  his  life.  There  is  also  a dispute 
between  the  President’s  Secretary  and  another  member  of  Congress, 
which  will  probably  end  in  the  same  way.  What  a state  of  manners 
and  morals  ! I turn  to  your  quiet  home  and  happy  fireside  for  sub- 
jects more  congenial  to  my  feelings.  Your  portraits,  and  group  of 
my  children,  are  the  greatest  alleviations  of  this  tedious  separation. 
I can  see  them  “ in  my  mind’s  eye,”  surrounded  by  kind  and  tender 
friends ; and  have  no  cause  for  an  uneasy  thought  about  them. 

Dec.  5,  1809. 

We  continue  to  like  our  situation  ; have  enjoyed  good  health,  and 
much  domestic  comfort  and  happiness.  We  see  our  New-England 
friends  often,  and  have  received  many  kind  attentions  from  all  around 
us.  Several  Bostonians,  with  whom  we  were  not  personally  ac- 


128 


quaiuted,  have  visited  us,  — to  mutual  satisfaction,  I believe  ; for,  at 
this  distance  from  home,  interest  arises  from  that  very  circumstance. 

We  often  saw  Mr.  S.  Jones,  son  of  T.  K.  Jones  of  Boston,  and 
Mr.  Poinsett  of  South  Carolina,  on  the  journey ; and  they  visit  us 
frequently  here.  They  have  lately  returned  from  Europe  together, 
and  are  on  their  way  to  Charleston.  Mr.  Jones  seems  an  amiable, 
clever  fellow.  Mr.  Poinsett  is  uncommonly  interesting,  polished,  and 
well  informed.  He  has  spent  many  years  in  Europe  ; moved  in  the 
highest  circles  of  society ; and  traversed  the  continent,  from  the  At- 
lantic to  the  Caspian,  with  great  observation  and  improvement.  1 
have  seldom  met  with  a more  accomplished  and  pleasing  young  man. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lloyd  are  a very  pleasant  addition  to  our  society. 

Very  few  subjects  of  interest  have  yet  been  discussed  at  the 
Capitol.  I have  been  there  once,  and  heard  several  of  the  best 
speakers. 

Dec.  20. 

To  have  heard  Mr.  Buckminster’s  sermon  which  you  describe 
would  have  been  like  “ manna  in  the  wilderness.”  I wish  he  would 
come  here  as  a missionary.  Do  you  not  think  Dr.  Morse’s  Missionary 
Society  might  be  prevailed  on  to  send  him  here  ? I should  be  proud 
to  offer  him  as  a specimen  of  what  we  think  worthy  of  admiration  in 
New  England.  We  have  service  here  every  Sunday  morning  in  the 
Capitol.  One  of  the  chaplains  is  a Baptist ; the  other,  a Methodist. 
They  have  the  peculiarities  of  their  respective  sects ; but  are  men  of 
natural  good  sense,  though  uncultivated  by  education.  That  magnifi- 
cent dome  deserves  to  be  consecrated  by  talent  and  eloquence  of  a 
different  order.  What  a prodigy  Avould  our  friend  appear  among  this 
motley  collection  from  all  parts  of  the  Union  and  the  world ! He 
would  speak  their  confusion  into  order,  and  raise  their  minds  by  the 
force  of  truth  and  eloquence. 

But  I am  talking  of  sermons,  when  I promised  you  an  account  of 
a dinner  at  the  President’s.  The  company  consisted  of  twenty-five 


129 


or  thirty  people  ; and  not  a single  Federalist,  except  Mr.  Quincy. 
We  were  in  the  midst  of  the  enemy’s  camp  ; but  were  treated  with 
great  distinction,  and  passed  a pleasant  day.  I was  attended  by  the 
Secretary  of  State,  and  placed  next  Mrs.  Madison.  Do  you  wish  to 
hear  of  her  costume  ? She  was  elegantly  attired  in  black  velvet,  with 
a very  rich  head-dress  of  coquelicot  and  gold,  with  necklace  and 
ornaments  of  the  same  color.  The  President’s  house  is  handsomely 
furnished  in  general ; but  is  not  of  a piece,  as  we  ladies  say.  The 
drawing-room  curtains,  couches,  and  chairs  are  of  the  richest  crimson 
velvet,  trimmed  very  elegantly  and  suitably  ; hut  the  room  is  hung 
with  an  ordinary  green  paper,  which  lights  badlju  The  carpet  is  not 
handsome,  and  other  parts  of  the  furniture  are  still  worse.  . . . 

I took  my  children  with  me  to  call  on  Mrs.  Madison  the  other 
morning;  and  she  kindly  opened  the  doors  of  the  dining  and  drawing 
rooms  on  each  side  of  the  apartment,  where  she  receives  morning 
visitors,  and  showed  them  herself  to  her  young  friends.  After  we 
had  taken  leave,  Mrs.  S.  H.  Smith,  who  was  there,  showed  us  a large 
unfinished  room,  extending  the  whole  width  of  the  house,  called  the 
Audience  Chamber  (now  the  East  Room).  As  we  returned,  we  met 
Mrs.  Madison  in  the  hall.  I said,  “You  see,  madam,  we  are  taking 
the  liberty  to  look  at  your  house,  without  leave.”  — “ It  is  as  much 
your  house  as  it  is  mine,  ladies,”  was  her  graceful  reply. 

January  10,  1810. 

The  first  day  of  the  year  was,  with  us  as  with  you,  one  of  the 
mildest  I ever  remember.  Its  bright  sun  found  us  in  the  possession 
of  many  blessings,  and,  I trust,  grateful  for  them,  — the  frame  of  mind 
most  likely  to  insure  their  continuance.  The  1st  of  January  is  always 
a great  gala-day  here.  The  President  has  a levee,  which  every  one 
is  expected  to  attend.  The  whole  house  was  thrown  open,  filled  with 
company,  and  enlivened  by  a fine  band  of  music.  The  foreign  mini- 
sters, the  officers  of  the  army  and  navy,  and  numerous  ladies,  gave 

17 


130 


brilliancy  to  the  scene.  Mrs.  Madison  wore  her  carriage-dress,  — the 
same  in  which  she  appears  on  Sunday  at  the  Capitol,  — a purple- 
velvet  pelisse,  and  hat  trimmed  with  ermine.  A very  elegant  cos- 
tume ; but  not,  I thought,  appropriate  to  a lady  receiving  company 
at  home.  We  passed  an  hour  very  pleasantly;  and  I only  regretted 
I had  not  complied  with  Mrs.  Madison’s  earnest  request,  that  I would 
bring  the  children  with  me.  They  would  have  remembered  the 
occasion  with  pleasure. 

Colonel  Pickman  and  several  of  our  New-England  friends  dined 
with  us  ; and  we  spent  the  rest  of  the  day  in  thinking  of  our  own 
land,  and  sending  good  wishes  to  the  dear  friends  and  children  who 
dwell  there. 

Washington,  January  17,  1810. 

We  continue  to  pass  our  time  pleasantly,  and  chiefly  at  home.  I 
am  devoted  to  Mr.  Quincy  every  morning  till  eleven  o’clock,  when 
he  goes  to  school,  and  I begin  mine.  The  lessons  of  the  children 
engage  me  until  one  o’clock,  when  I admit  or  return  visits.  We  dine 
usually"  at  four  o’clock,  when  Mr.  Quincy  returns  fatigued  from  the 
Capitol.  In  the  evening,  we  always  have  company,  as  our  friends 
often  seek  the  solace  of  our  fireside. 

The  ease  with  which  Mr.  Quincy  can  here  give  invitations  to 
dinner  is  a source  of  pleasure.  In  the  selection  of  our  guests,  our 
Yankee  sympathies  have  considerable  influence.  We  strengthen  by 
mutual  interest  the  naturally  firm  tie  of  country,  and  similarity  of 
situation.  We  see  Colonel  Pickering  and  Mr.  Hillhouse  of  Connecti- 
cut very  often.  Your  account  of  the  rigors  of  climate  does  not  cool 
our  desire  to  return  : — 

“ Dear  is  that  home  to  which  my  soul  conforms, 

And  dear  the  roof  that  shields  us  from  the  storms.” 

February  23. 

The  season  here  begins  to  wear  the  livery  and  breathe  the  air 
of  spring.  Whenever  we  drive  or  walk,  the  children  exclaim,  “ 0 


131 


mamma  ! I wish  we  were  at  Quincy.  Don’t  you  think  it  must  be  very 
pleasant  there  now  ? ” I reason  with  them,  more  effectually,  I hope, 
than  with  myself,  on  the  duties  of  using  every  opportunity  of  improve- 
ment within  our  reach.  We  have  had  the  pleasure  of  the  society  of 
Colonel  Perkins  and  some  other  Bostonians  for  a few  days  past. 

The  22d  was  celebrated  here  with  uncommon  festivity.  There 
was  a grand  ball  given  in  this  city,  to  which  we  had  invitations ; 
and  also  to  another  at  Georgetown,  which  we  preferred.  The 
majority  of  the  citizens  of  that  place  are  Federalists  of  the  old 
Washington  school.  Our  sympathies  attracted  us  there,  and  we 
passed  a very  agreeable  evening. 

We  enjoy  much  pleasure  in  the  society  of  friends  in  Georgetown, 
with  whom  we  have  become  acquainted  this  winter.  The  family  of 
Mr.  Teackle,  a man  of  fortune  from  the  Eastern  Shore  of  Virginia,  con- 
sists of  his  wife  and  three  daughters,  who  are  amiable,  intelligent,  and 
accomplished.  The  young  ladies  remind  me  of  you  and  your  two  sis- 
ters in  their  industry  and  ingenuity  in  every  kind  of  fancy  and  useful 
work.  Miss  Teackle  would  be  thought  a fine  woman  anywhere ; but 
here  she  is  indeed  a treasure,  — religious,  sensible,  with  a mind 
highly  cultivated,  and  pleasing  manners ; and,  though  not  handsome, 
her  countenance  is  expressive  of  uncommon  acuteness  and  observa- 
tion.  All  these  good  qualities  have  not  escaped  the  notice  of  Mr. 
Elihu  Chauncey,  to  whom  she  is  engaged,  and  who  will  soon  take  her 
to  Philadelphia,  to  the  great  regret  of  her  friends  here. 

Mrs.  Martha  Peter,  a grand-daughter  of  Mrs.  Washington,  and 
Miss  Lee,  daughter  of  Governor  Lee  of  Maryland,  are  also  among  my 
favorites.*  Mrs.  Peter  is  a woman  of  high-toned  sentiment  and 
principles.  A stanch  Federalist,  she  manifests  the  energy  of  her 
character  by  decided  expressions  of  political  opinion.  Eliza  Lee,  at 
the  head  of  her  father’s  establishment,  has  long  commanded  general 
admiration  by  her  highly  cultivated  mind  and  graceful  and  attractive 


* In  1812,  Miss  Lee  was  married  to  Hon.  Outerbridge  Horsey  of  Delaware. 


132 

manners.  The  younger  Miss  Teackle  and  the  daughters  of  Dr. 
Worthington  are  also  very  lovely  young  women.  In  Washington,  we 
have  agreeable  friends  in  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tayloe,  Mrs.  S.  H.  Smith  and 
her  sister  Miss  Bayard,  and  Judge  and  Mrs.  Cranch. 

At  Mrs.  Madison’s  levee  last  evening,  Madame  Bonaparte  was  a 
conspicuous  figure.  Her  dress  was  a scarlet  velvet  robe,  with  white 
satin  petticoat  and  sleeves.  A bandeau  and  ear-rings  of  diamonds, 
and  a watch  set  with  diamonds,  suspended  by  a gold  chain  round  her 
neck,  .completed  her  costume.  Her  face  and  head  are  on  too  large 
a scale  to  correspond  with  her  figure ; but  she  is  yet  beautiful,  and 
was  more  natural  and  unaffected  in  her  manners  than  I expected. 
The  Dashkoffs  have  left  the  city,  and  intend  visiting  Boston. 

I have  heard  from  Miss  Lowell  of  the  proposal  to  reprint  the  “ Life 
of  Elizabeth  Smith  ” in  Boston,  and  have  obtained  many  subscriptions. 
I destine  a copy  for  each  of  my  daughters ; not  forgetting  also  you 
and  your  sisters.  Miss  Smith  must  have  been  indeed  a prodigy  of 
learning  and  talent. 

Among  my  acquaintances  in  Georgetown,  I ought  to  mention  Mr. 
Milligan,  a bookseller,  and  a very  worthy  man.  I went  into  his  store 
to  purchase  some  drawing  materials  for  Susan,  and  was  much  pleased 
with  his  excellent  and  judicious  collection  of  books.  He  has  done 
much  good  here  by  introducing  a better  taste  among  the  inhabitants, 
both  in  a moral  and  literary  sense.  He  has  encouragement  to  reprint 
Miss  Edgeworth’s  “ Moral  Tales,”  if  he  can  obtain  a copy.  Will  you 
purchase  one,  if  the  work  is  to  be  obtained  at  our  book-stores?  and,  if 
not,  borrow  one  from  some  friend,  and  I will  replace  it  with  a new 
copy.  Cut  the  books  out  of  the  bindings,  and  enclose  the  pages,  in 
packets  not  exceeding  two  ounces,  by  mail  to  Mr.  Quincy.  Be  careful 
to  send  the  text  entire,  and  the  titlepage.  My  own  set  are  locked  up 
at  home,  and  you  will  be  pleased  to  co-operate  in  a benevolent  design. 

We  still  hope  Congress  will  adjourn  the  middle  of  April.  . . . 

Your  friend,  E.  S.  Quincy. 


133 


To  Miss  Lowell. 

Washington,  April  24,  1810. 

Congress  had  resolved  to  rise  on  the  23d  instant ; but  they  have 
postponed  adjournment  until  the  1st  of  May.  The  delay  has  enabled 
me  to  see  this  city  and  its  vicinity  assume  its  most  beautiful  dress. 
The  ground  is  clothed  in  the  freshest,  liveliest  green ; the  trees  are 
in  full  bloom  ; and  all  nature,  with  a universal  voice,  seems  to  call 
upon  us  to  be  happy  and  grateful.  The  music  of  the  birds,  and  the 
charms  conferred  by  the  season,  give  this  place  attractions  which  it 
never  had  before  in  my  eyes.  Our  dear  friends  at  Georgetown,  in 
the  families  of  Mr.  Teackle  and  Mr.  Lee,  planned  an  excursion  for 
us  to  the  Great  Falls  of  the  Potomac  on  the  23d,  the  day  we  had 
expected  to  depart  for  home.  The  weather  was  delightful;  and  the 
scenery,  which  exceeded  my  expectations,  repaid  us  for  a drive  over 
eighteen  miles  of  bad  road.  The  Potomac  falls  seventy  feet.  The 
banks  are  high,  and,  for  half  a mile,  are  composed  of  immense  masses 
of  rock  in  every  variety  of  form  ; some  towering  like  pyramids,  others 
projecting  rough  points  to  the  river,  and  others  an  even  front  like  a 
wall  of  masonry.  The  scenery  is  composed  only  of  water  and  rocks. 
Few  mosses  and  evergreens  can  force  an  existence  among  such  mate- 
rials. Yet  even  here,  where  nature  seemed  to  present  insuperable  ob- 
stacles, the  ingenuity  of  man  has  triumphed;  and  a canal  with  seven 
locks,  one  of  them  cut  in  solid  rock,  opens  the  navigation  of  the  river 
to  an  immense  back  country.  Boats  were  lying  in  it,  loaded  with 
goods  for  the  Indians  on  the  Missouri  and  the  Red  River.  When  I 
looked  on  the  river  and  the  rocks,  and  heard  the  roaring  waters, 
I felt  as  nothing  amid  the  works  of  God  ; but,  when  I saw  what 
human  effort  had  here  accomplished,  I was  re-animated,  and  felt  that 
he  had  also  breathed  into  our  souls  the  breath  of  life  and  intelligence- 
The  idea  also,  that  we  were  viewing  the  scene  for  the  only  time  with 
an  interesting  group  of  friends  from  whom  we  were  soon  to  separate, 


1:34 


probably  never  to  meet  again  in  this  world,  — who  would  certainly 
never  assemble  again  on  that  spot,  — gave  a solemn  impression  to  my 
mind,  in  which  several  of  my  companions  sympathized ; and  all  were 
affected  by  sadly  pleasing  sensations,  suitable  to  the  occasion  and  the 
objects  around  us. 

In  one  week  more,  we  hope  we  shall  return  to  our  home,  our 
friends,  and  our  children  ; and  the  thought  of  meeting  you  is  one  of 
the  most  gratifying  to  my  heart.  . . . 

Eliza  S.  Quincy. 

The  last  evening  of  the  session,  Mrs.  Quincy  and  her  children 
heard  John  Randolph  and  other  eminent  men  in  the  House  of 
Representatives  ; and,  on  leaving  the  Capitol,  bade  a reluctant 
farewell  to  Mrs.  Peter,  Miss  Lee,  Miss  Teaclde,  and  many  other 
friends. 

The  nest  morning,  the  2d  of  May,  they  looked  back,  from  the 
heights  of  Georgetown,  on  Washington  and  its  vicinity,  with  many 
interesting  retrospections.  Intending  to  visit  Harper’s  Ferry,  they 
followed  a route  which  led  near  the  Potomac,  and  through  the  rich 
lands,  the  property  of  Charles  Carroll.  The  dogwood,  the  redbud, 
and  numerous  shrubs  and  flowers,  filled  the  woods  with  beauty  and 
fragrance.  Mrs.  Quincy  was  delighted  with  the  scenery,  especially 
on  the  Monocasy.  Noble  trees  fringed  the  banks,  and  dipped  their 
branches  into  the  stream,  as,  swelled  by  heavy  rains,  it  rushed  to  join 
the  Potomac,  studded  with  wooded  islands  ; while,  toward  its  source, 
the  Sugardoaf  Mountain  reared  its  picturesque  cone  in  the  distance. 
But  the  passage  of  this  river  was  effected  with  difficulty.  The  blight 
of  slavery  rested  on  this  fair  land.  Bad  roads  and  accommodations, 
and  the  total  absence  of  bridges,  presented  such  obstacles,  that  far- 
ther progress  into  the  mountain  region  was  most  reluctantly  relin- 
quished for  the  road  to  Frederictown.  Thence  they  passed  through 
Hanover  and  York,  crossed  the  Susquehannah  at  Columbia,  and  tra- 


versed  the  fertile  valley  of  Lancaster.  From  Philadelphia  they 
pursued  the  usual  route  to  Boston,  where  they  arrived  the  last  of 
May,  and  soon  removed  to  their  home  at  Quincy. 


Letter  from  Miss  Lee. 

Georgetown,  D.C.,  May  30,  1810. 

My  dear  Mrs.  Quincy,  — I did,  indeed,  wish  to  hear  of  your  safe 
arrival,  and  happy  re-union  with  your  friends ; but  to  be  gratified  so 
soon,  to  be  thought  of  in  the  midst  of  so  many  engagements  of  the 
heart,  I did  not  anticipate.  When  we  met  of  an  evening,  and  spoke 
of  you,  I said  there  was  no  chance  of  a letter  until  you  were  esta- 
blished at  Quincy.  Then,  indeed,  I flattered  myself  you  would  cast 
“ one  longing,  lingering  look  behind,”  and  delight  with  a proof  of 
your  remembrance  those  friends  who  appreciated  your  worth.  But 
this  is  not  the  first  time  that  your  kindness  has  far  exceeded  my 
calculations.  . . . 

My  father,  and  all  our  family  who  knew  you  and  Mr.  Quincy,  thank 
you  for  your  kind  remembrance.  My  sister  has  your  best  wishes,  I 
am  confident ; and  we  Catholics  have  great  faith  in  the  prayers  of  the 
good  of  this  world,  as  well  as  of  the  next.  We  heard  of  your  disap- 
pointment with  regard  to  Harper’s  Ferry,  and  that  your  lives  were 
endangered  in  crossing  the  Monocasy.  As  I trust  the  latter  was  an 
exaggeration,  I will  not  regret  the  circuitous  route  you  were  induced 
to  take,  since  it  afforded  a view  of  one  of  our  most  fertile  counties. 
Your  journey  occurred  at  a fortunate  season  with  regard  to  the 
beauty  of  the  country.  At  this  time  you  would  have  found  the  heat 
intense ; and  instead  of  April’s  tenderest,  freshest  green,  which 
you  so  much  admired,  the  whole  landscape  looks  parched  and 
thirsty.  . . . 

Since  I have  had  the  pleasure  of  knowing  you,  I have  felt  an 
increased  interest  in  all  persons  from  New  England  whom  I like  at 


136 


all.  I am  honored  by  Colonel  Pickering’s  regard,  and  entreat  you  to 
present  my  respects  to  him.  Little  Mary*  begs  to  be  remembered 
to  your  children,  and  my  family  all  unite  with  me  in  sentiments  of 
respect  and  affection  for  you  and  Mr.  Quincy. 

Ever  yours,  Eliza  D.  Lee. 


From  Miss  Teaclde. 

Georgetown,  D.C.,  July  16,  1810. 

I cannot  say,  my  dear  Mrs.  Quincy,  how  much  I was  gratified  by 
your  kind  letter.  I often  felt  tempted  to  solicit  the  favor  of  hearing 
from  you ; but  the  recollection  of  your  various  duties  made  me  fear 
it  would  be  asking  too  much.  . . . 

The  disposition  we  evinced  to  be  always  with  you  renders  it 
unnecessary  to  describe  our  regret  at  your  departure  ; and  our  loss 
was  more  affecting,  as  it  seemed  probable  that  those  happy  hours  we 
passed  together  would  never  be  renewed.  These,  I trust,  were  the 
fears  of  clouded  minds.  We  will  yet  hope  that  time  and  circum- 
stances will  again  unite  us.  Miss  Lee  informed  us  of  your  safe 
arrival  at  home.  After  so  long  an  absence,  I can  easily  imagine  your 
happiness  on  returning  to  your  own  delightful  habitation.  Few  are 
so  pre-eminently  blessed  in  domestic  life ; still  fewer  so  well  appre- 
ciate the  gift.  . . . 

It  is  time  I should  begin  to  deliver  the  numberless  expressions 
of  regard  with  which  I am  charged  by  your  friends  here.  The  Lees 
are  particular  in  their  remembrance,  and  my  parents  and  sisters  not 
less  urgent.  We  hope  Mr.  Quincy  will  accept  his  portion  of  our 
esteem,  and  your  children  also.  The  delightful  tranquillity  of  your 
life  at  Quincy  is  truly  congenial  to  my  taste.  I would  sooner 
undergo  the  fatigue  of  travelling  to  participate  in  your  enjoyments 


* Afterwards  Mrs.  Charles  Carroll,  of  Carrollton. 


137 


than  any  other  object  of  my  wishes  ; but  I must  only  hope  to  see 
you  in  Philadelphia. 

The  Russian  minister,  Count  Pahlen,  will  visit  Boston  this  sum- 
mer. The  slight  acquaintance  I have  formed  with  him  has  been 
highly  favorable.  I think  I may  say,  you  will  like  him  very  much. 
His  brother  also  is  greatly  admired  for  his  accomplishments  and 
amiable  manners.  The  whole  suite  appear  anxious  to  accommodate 
their  conduct  to  the  American  taste.  . . . 

I must  now  say  farewell.  Accept,  my  dear  friend,  my  sincerely 
affectionate  regard. 

Henrietta  Teackle. 


From  Miss  Lee. 

Needwood,  Md.,  Oct.  17,  1810. 

Dear  Mrs.  Quincy,  — The  hope  of  seeing  you  here  again  this 
winter  is  too  precious  to  be  relinquished.  Until  you  say  positively,  “ I 
shall  not  come,”  I will  continue  firm  in  the  faith.  I almost  dread  to 
mention  the  removal  of  our  excellent  friends  in  Mr.  Teackle’s  family, 
lest  it  should  influence  your  decision.  Miss  Teackle  was  married  on 
the  13th ; and  left  Georgetown  for  Philadelphia,  accompanied  by  Eliza. 
The  rest  of  the  family  go  to  the  Eastern  Shore  this  week ; so  that 
I shall  not  have  the  happiness  of  seeing  any  of  them  again.  ...  We 
shall  not  leave  Needwood  till  late  in  November.  My  father,  who 
farms  for  revenue  as  well  as  amusement,  finds  it  requisite  to  remain 
until  he  disposes  of  the  fruits  of  his  industry ; and  I am  not  anxious 
to  remove  earlier.  Our  mountain  scenery  is  finer  in  autumn  than  at 
any  other  season,  and  the  weather  more  favorable  for  exercise.  My 
father  charges  me  with  his  respects  for  you  and  Mr.  Quincy. 

With.my  best  wishes  for  the  welfare  of  all  dear  to  you, 

I am  ever  yours, 

Eliza  D.  Lee. 


18 


138 


From  John  TeacJde,  Esq.,  to  Hon.  Josiah  Quincy. 

Accomac  County,  Eastern  Shore  of  Virginia, 
20th  December,  1810. 

My  dear  Sir,  — The  intimate  friendship  which  so  pleasantly 
existed  between  us  at  Washington  is  often  before  me,  and  occasions 
much  regret  that  our  lot  is  cast  so  remote  from  each  other.  Never- 
theless, we  shall  cherish  the  remembrance  of  you  and  yours  with 
pleasing  sensations,  and  retrospectively  enjoy  the  happiness  of  your 
society.  The  cultivated  mind  and  refined  manners  of  Mrs.  Quincy  is 
often  a subject  of  conversation  with  us  ; and  we  all  have  viewed  her 
as  one  whom  Solomon  so  elegantly  has  styled  a jewel  to  her  hus- 
band, of  high  price.  About  the  end  of  October,  we  left  Georgetown  ; 
and  after  an  easy  journey,  and  frequent  calls  on  our  friends  and  rela- 
tives in  the  neighboring  counties,  we  arrived  here  in  November, 
and  feel  much  at  home.  It  is  an  old  family  estate,  and  our  own 
residence  for  thirty  years  previous  to  my  removal  to  the  District 
of  Columbia.  ...  We  have  been  highly  favored  in  our  health,  and 
no  untoward  circumstance  has  attended  our  removal.  My  house- 
hold now  consists  of  my  two  younger  children  and  their  mother.  I 
have  two  daughters  married  in  Philadelphia,  and  Eliza  is  with  her 
sisters. 

It  will  give  me  great  pleasure  to  have  occasional  letters  from  you. 
Remote  as  I am  from  genuine  information,  your  ideas  on  our  relations 
abroad,  and  situation  at  home,  will  be  very  gratifying,  and  will  be 
used  with  circumspection.  What  have  we  to  expect  from  Prance  ? 
Will  Bonaparte’s  future  conduct  any  way  justify  his  loving  promises? 
And  what  course,  under  events,  is  it  calculated  Great  Britain  will 
follow  toward  us?  And,  above  all,  what  do  you  believe  to  be  the 
intentions  and  views,  of  Congress  and  the  Executive,  of  our  dis- 
tracted country?  What  is  to  become  of  this  nation?  . . . 


139 


I indulge  a hope  of  visiting  Washington  and  of  seeing  you  in 
February.  Mrs.  Teackle  requests  me  to  offer  Mrs.  Quincy  our  united 
love.  — With  high  esteem, 

Yours,  John  Teackle. 


From  Mrs.  Peter. 

Tudor  Place,  Georgetown,  D.C., 
Aug.  19,  1810. 

My  dear  Mrs.  Quincy,  — Nothing  would  give  me  more  pleasure 
than  to  visit  you  at  Quincy,  beside  the  delight  I should  take  in  your 
society  and  in  rural  beauties.  My  feelings  are  particularly  gratified 
by  the  manner  you  express  yourself  of  those  I have  been  taught  most 
to  respect  and  venerate,  — General  and  Mrs.  Washington. 

It  was  with  sincere  regret  I heard  we  were  not  to  see  our  friend 
Mr.  Hillhouse  here  this  winter.  I still  hope  you  will  disappoint  the 
ruling  party  by  continuing  Colonel  Pickering  in  the  Senate.  Several 
of  his  opponents  told  me  the  state  of  the  elections  with  great  joy,  and 
that  there  was  no  chance  of  his  being  returned.  My  reply  was,  that 
Varnum  was  much  better  calculated  to  sit  in  the  Senate  with  Leib ; 
hut  that,  in  the  present  shattered  state  of  the  wheel  of  Government, 
I should  regret  losing  so  valuable  a spoke  as  Colonel  Pickering. 

I am  just  returned  from  a visit  to  my  friends  in  Virginia.  While 
with  my  sister  Mrs.  Lewis,  I took  my  children  to  Mount  Vernon, 
which  some  of  them  had  never  seen,  although  they  had  often  heard 
me  speak  of  it  as  the  place  where  I had  spent  the  happiest  years 
of  my  life.  My  little  daughter  thought  it  must  be  something  more 
than  trees  and  house  and  land,  and  it  did  not  answer  her  expecta- 
tions; but,  Avhen  I asked  her  what  she  thought  Mount  Vernon  was 
like,  she  could  not  express  her  ideas.  I hope  you  do  not  venture  to 
think  of  not  coming  to  Washington  next  winter.  . . . 


Martha  Peter. 


140 


During  these  years,  numerous  guests  and  distinguished  foreigners 
were  received  at  Quincy. 

In  August,  1811,  Count  Pahlen  (the  Eussian  minister),  Count  Ni- 
cholas Pahlen,  and  M.  Poletica  (an  eminent  statesman  and  diplomatist 
attached  to  that  embassy),  dined  at  the  residence  of  Mr.  Quincy  with 
a numerous  party  of  gentlemen.  In  October,  Mr.  Foster,  the  British 
minister,  was  also  a guest  there.*  On  one  of  his  visits,  a highly 
finished  model  in  plaster  of  the  Parthenon,  by  Fouquet,  attracted  his 
admiration.f  On  a close  examination,  he  discovered  that  the  artist 
had  represented  with  faithful  accuracy  the  sculpture  on  the  frieze  of 
the  cell  of  the  temple,  which,  concealed  by  the  entablature  of  the 
colonnade,  had  previously  escaped  notice.  Mr.  Foster  had  visited 
Athens  at  the  time  the  Turks  were  removing  the  marbles  for  Lord 
Elgin.  They  did  their  work  so  clumsily,  that  one  morning,  when  he 
was  at  the  Parthenon,  they  dropped  the  head  of  a statue  from  the 
pediment,  and  a masterpiece  of  Phidias  was  dashed  to  pieces  on 
the  pavement. 


* Afterwards  the  Rt.  Hon.  Sir  Augustus  J.  Foster,  Bart.,  for  many  yeare  British  minister 
at  the  Court  of  Sardinia,  resident  at  Turin.  His  last  letter  to  Mr.  Quincy  was  dated  from  thence 
in  1839. 

f Purchased  by  Mr.  Quincy,  in  1805,  of  John  Pickering,  Esq.;  by  whom  it  was  brought  from 
Paris. 


CHAPTER  V. 


To  leave  home,  and  separate  her  family,  became  every  year  more 
difficult ; and  Mrs.  Quincy,  therefore,  did  not  pass  any  subsequent 
winter  in  Washington,  but  remained  in  Boston  with  her  children. 
To  gratify  her  preference  for  the  talents,  character,  and  eloquence  of 
William  Ellery  Channing,  Mr.  Quincy,  in  November,  1810,  after  the 
inauguration  of  Dr.  Kirkland  at  Harvard,  left  the  New  South  for 
the  Federal-street  Church,  — a removal  which  proved  a source  of 
improvement  and  pleasure  to  him  and  his  family.  Before  Mr.  Chan- 
ning attained  great  general  celebrity,  he  was  their  intimate  friend, 
and  often  passed  weeks  at  their  residence  at  Quincy,  to  which  he 
gave  the  name  of  Tranquilla. 

The  following  note  was  written  in  1811 : — 

Boston,  Thursday. 

My  dear  Mrs.  Quincy,  — I cannot  let  my  sister  go  to  Quincy 
without  a line  to  express  the  pleasure  with  which  I recollect  my  short 
visit  at  your  house.  I was  fearful  you  might  think  my  imprisonment 
by  the  weather"  painful ; but  I would  that  every  prisoner  were  as 
happy ! I indeed  love  trees  and  fields,  and  the  delightful  variety  of 
nature  ; but  these  give  me  less  pleasure  than  the  view  of  an  affection- 
ate, peaceful,  cultivated,  happy  family. 

I hope  you  did  not  think  me  indolent.  I did  perhaps  more  than 
you  imagined,  though  less  than  I might  or  should  have  done.  I 
send  to  Susan  a shell  which  I found  on  Chelsea  Beach,  — a very 
humble  contribution  to  her  cabinet,  but  not  without  its  beauty. 


142 

To  your  little  children  you  must  give  my  love,  and  tell  them  I hope 
they  will  be  less  shy  when  we  meet  again. 

I send  you  two  of  your  books.  I have  glanced  over  “ Griselda,”  * 
and  hope  that  almost  any  trial  of  my  virtues  and  patience  will  be 
appointed  rather  than  such  a loving  wife.  Have  you  ever  known 
the  original  of  this  picture  ? It  is  drawn  with  so  much  life,  that  I 
presume  it  is  taken  from  nature ; but  I have  not  met  with  it. 

It  is  not  requisite  that  I should  express  to  Mr.  Quincy  and  your- 
self the  respect  and  affection  which  I bear  you. 

Affectionately  yours,  W.  E.  Channing.I 

The  acquisition  of  a gifted  friend  was  peculiarly  valuable  to  Mrs. 
Quincy,  at  a moment  when  she  was  deprived  of  one  who  had  long 
held  the  first  place  in  her  affections.  The  death  of  Anna  Cabot 
Loivell  in  December,  1810,  severed  a long,  constant,  and  unclouded 
friendship. 

For  intellectual  gifts  and  exalted  character,  Miss  Lowell  held  an 
acknowledged  pire-eminence  among  her  contemporaries  in  Boston. 
Her  writings,  both  in  prose  and  verse,  are  stamped  with  genius.  Her 
letters  would  have  ranked  with  those  of  Elizabeth  Montagu  and  other 
eminent  women,  had  they  been  collected  and  preserved.  Copies  of 
those  to  Mrs.  Grant,  though  circulated  in  Scotland,  were  not  obtained 
by  her  family  until  after  her  decease.  In  one  of  them,  Miss  Lowell 
paid  the  following  tribute  to  her  friend : — • 

Boston,  Nov.  8,  1809. 

Another  of  your  warm  admirers  is  Mrs.  Quincy.  This  lady  is  a 
native  of  New  York;  but,  marrying  a gentleman  of  Boston,  she  has 


* “ The  Modern  Griselda,”  by  Maria  Edgeworth. 

1 It  was  at  Quincy,  on  his  return  from  Newport,  Sept.  7,  1825,  that  Mr.  Channing  received 
the  first  intelligence  of  the  discovery  of  the  lost  manuscript  of  Milton,  — the  subject  of  one  of  his 
finest  Essays. 


143 


long  been  the  ornament  of  our  circle.  Her  husband  is  one  of  that 
band  of  real  patriots  who  are  now  defending  the  cause  of  good 
government  in  our  National  Legislature.  Though  branded  with  the 
name  of  British  partisan,  he  continues  to  support  with  firmness  and 
eloquence  what  he  believes  to  be  the  best  interests  of  his  country. 
Mrs.  Quincy  is  one  of  my  dearest  friends : her  understanding  is  my 
guide,  and  her  virtues  my  model. 

The  following  letters  were  written  at  this  period  : — 

To  Mrs.  Quincy. 

City  of  Washington,  Dec.  23,  1810. 

My  dear  Wife,  — I have  just  received  your  letter  announcing 
the  departure  of  the  most  excellent  and  justly  beloved  of  all  your 
friends.  How  deeply  I regret  I should  at  such  a moment  be  absent 
from  you  ! 

The  memory  of  Miss  Lowell  is  justly  precious  to  your  soul.  Ex- 
emplary in  life,  perfect  through  suffering,  she  has  left  no  doubt  to 
hang  upon  her  future  fate.  Rejoice  for  her ; find  consolation  in  her 
worth,  in  her  resignation,  the  brightness  of  her  hopes,  and  the  assu- 
rances of  her  spirit.  Guard  yourself  against  excess  of  grief.  . . . 
Be  thankful  for  all  the  excellences  of  your  friend ; implant  her 
virtues  in  your  heart : in  these  she  yet  lives.  Though  absent,  you 
possess  in  your  own  bosom  an  assurance,  that  the  separation  from 
one,  whose  virtues  were  so  assimilated  to  your  own,  will  not  be 
perpetual. 

Her  summons  was,  to  her  mortal  part,  a relief ; to  her  immortal, 
a joy.  Her  intellectual  powers  she  yet  exercises,  disencumbered  of 
the  load  which  earth  hangs  about  ours.  If  you  estimate  life  by  her 
attainments,  she  had  lived  long  enough.  The  circle  of  her  duties  was 
complete,  and  the  term  of  her  fulfilling  them  had  been  lengthened 
out  beyond  our  hopes.  After  days  and  years  standing  cheerfully  at 


144 


the  threshold,  and  bidding  all  friends  adieu,  the  traveller  has  turned, 
her  journey  has  commenced,  and  the  door  is  shut.  You  know  how 
she  was  prepared.  Leave  her  with  that  God  into  whose  presence  she 
has  gone,  and  make  yourself  worthy  to  be  a partaker  of  her  felicity, 
by  the  dignity  with  which  you  sustain  her  departure,  and  the  perfect- 
ness by  which,  in  fulfilling  your  duties,  you  follow  her  example.  But 
I forget  I am  uttering  themes  of  consolation  which  your  own  spirit  is 
so  much  more  competent  to  suggest.  . . . 

Dec.  30,  1810. 

I am  entirely  gratified  by  your  views  and  feelings  in  relation  to 
your  late  affliction.  They  are  such  as  it  is  worthy  in  you  to  cherish. 
They  elevate  and  strengthen  the  mind,  and  open  to  the  intellectual 
eye  an  unbounded  field  of  duties  and  of  hopes. 

Ever  yours,  Josiah  Quincy. 


To  Mrs.  Quincy. 

Washington,  Feb.  10,  1811. 

My  dear  Wife, — Your  affectionate  and  partial  appeal  to  my  heart 
on  the  occasion  of  my  birthday  has  all  that  tenderness  and  encou- 
ragement which  it  has  been  so  often  my  blessing  to  receive  from  your 
hand.  I find  in  it  new  motives  of  duty  and  thankfulness  to  that 
Being  who  has  planted  by  my  side  so  precious  and  beloved  a Virtue, 
allowed  me  to  call  her  by  the  dearest  of  all  names,  and  united  me 
to  her  by  the  sweetest  and  strongest  of  all  ties,  in  which  I recognize 
not  only  the  choicest  reward  of  any  excellence  it  may  be  in  my 
power  to  attain,  but  a most  powerful  impulse  to  advance  in  whatever 
is  wise  and  worthy. 

The  idea  that  our  departed  friends  yet  take  an  interest  in  those 
who  remain  in  this  sphere  of  trial  and  exertion,  I have  no  question,  is 
true.  It  is  not  an  illusion.  The  clouds  and  darkness  which  hang 
over  futurity,  and  upon  the  state  of  those  who  have  preceded  us  to 


145 


that  region,  I doubt  not  is  a wise  and  paternal  provision  of  Provi- 
dence. Its  tendency  is  to  fill  the  thoughtful  mind  with  awe  and 
anxiety  concerning  its  own  destiny ; to  elevate  it  by  alternate  hopes 
and  fears  above  the  temporary  pursuits  of  this  world,  and  make  it 
seek  a higher  standard  of  action  and  a purer  rule  of  conduct  than 
any  terrestrial  objects  can  enable  us  to  form. 

If  my  parents  do  indeed  look  down  with  any  complacency  on  the 
conduct  of  their  son,  as  you  intimate,  I cannot  but  realize  with  what 
pure  and  spiritual  affection  they  must  regard  you  ; since  they  can- 
not but  recognize  what  I love  to  cherish  and  confess,  how  much  of 
whatever  there  is  in  me  of  mind  or  virtue  has  been  the  result  of 
your  influence  and  example.  Take  from  one,  who  strives  to  do  justice 
to  his  sense  of  your  worth,  whatever  expression  can  give  an  adequate 
idea  of  mental  and  moral  attainment.  It  is  yours  ; at  least,  in  the  esti- 
mation of  your  devoted  husband, 

Josiah  Quincy. 


Letter  from  Mrs.  Peter  to  Mrs.  Quincy. 

Tudor  Place,  Georgetown,  D.C.,  Feb.  lo,  1812. 

My  dear  Friend,  — Congress  are  so  busy  doing  nothing,  or  worse 
than  nothing,  that  they  do  not  give  themselves  a holiday  even  on 
Saturday ; and  we  therefore  see  Mr.  Quincy  more  seldom  than  we 
wish.  I assure  you,  it  was  a source  of  much  regret  to  me  and  mine 
that  you  did  not  come  on  this  winter. 

The  last  fortnight  of  my  mother’s  life  was  passed  here  with  me ; 
and  the  power  of  rendering  her  attentions  which  could  not  be  paid 
elsewhere,  and  of  being  with  her  in  her  last  moments,  was  a great 
source  of  happiness  to  her,  and  of  consolation  to  me.  Her  loss  de- 
prived me  of  a wish  to  go  into  company.  At  all  times,  I delight  in 
the  society  of  a friend  like  yourself,  to  whom  I can  speak  without 
reserve. 


19 


146 


Although  my  life  has  not  been  a very  long  one,  I have  found  that 
those  are  most  likely  to  get  well  on  who  have  the  fewest  confidants; 
and  that  our  thoughts,  except  on  very  common  subjects,  are  safest 
within  our  own  breasts. 

Persons  of  cold  dispositions  avoid  a world  of  anxiety : but  I 
believe  the  scale  is  equally  balanced ; for  they  know  not  the  delights 
of  a warm  heart.  Mr.  Peter  is  at  Oaklands  for  a week.  I often  think 
what  I should  do  were  I situated  as  you  are ; for  my  home  seems 
bereft  of  its  best  half  when  he  i§  absent.  As  you  were  bred  in  the 
old  school,  I venture  to  say  to  you,  that  my  husband,  of  all  mortals, 
is  most  dear  to  me ; my  children  next.  . . . 

Your  friend,  Martha  Peter. 


To  Hon.  Josiah  Quincy. 

Boston,  February  19,  1812. 

I have  read  your  remarks  critically,  and  give  them  unqualified 
approbation.  There  is  not  an  expression  or  a thought  that  is  not 
worthy  of  an  American  statesman,  putting  all  party  consideration  out 
of  the  question.  This  morning  I gave  Dr.  Pearson  and  Mr.  Buck- 
minster each  a copy.  The  offering  was  eagerly  accepted,  and  both 
desired  me  to  present  them  to  you  in  most  affectionate  terms.  Mr. 
Buckminster  made  Josiah  read  Latin  to  him ; which  the  boy  did 
readily.  The  critic  was  more  pleased  with  the  pronunciation  intro- 
duced at  Andover  than  he  expected  to  be. 

Mr.  Channing  appeared  much  pleased  with  your  letter,  and  ex- 
pressed unqualified  approbation  of  your  remarks.  He  disapproved 
exceedingly  of  the  tone  of  utter  despair  indulged  by  some  of  our 
wisest  and  best  men  here.  Lately,  in  conversing  with  one  of  them, 
he  said  that  “ good  seamen  ought  to  work  at  the  pump,  and  not 
give  up  the  ship  as  long  as  the  vessel  swam.”  But  he  was  answered, 
“ What  would  you  do  if  the  pump  pierced  the  bottom  of  the  ship,  and 
you  were  attempting  to  pump  the  ocean  dry  ? ” 


147 


Such  is  the  language  and  the  temper  of  some  of  our  leading 
men ; but  not  such  are  yours.  Mr.  Clianning  expressed  himself  a 
true  convei’t  to  your  opinion  upon  the  views  and  character  of  the 
Administration,  and  admired  the  sagacity  and  firm  independence  with 
which  you  had  formed  and  maintained  them. 

Mr.  S.  Higginson  called  here  to-day.  He  agrees  with  you,  that,  in 
a political  point  of  view,  it  is  better  the  present  state  of  things  should 
continue  till  forced  off  by  internal  opposition  and  the  proved  ineffi- 
ciency of  our  rulers.  If  Great  Britain,  by  any  temporary  modification, 
should  stretch  a helping  hand  to  the  Administration,  the  system  of 
restriction  might  be  resorted  to  again  and  again.  This,  he  said, 
is  not  the  general  opinion.  The  commercial  world  are  all  eagerly 
wishing  and  expecting  that  Great  Britain  will  relax  her  orders. 
They  look  for  help  from  no  other  quarter.  Late  letters  from  T.  H. 
Perkins  give  his  opinion,  that  the  Orders  in  Council  would  be  revoked 
or  modified. 

March  16,  1812,  Monday. 

Your  uncle,  Mr.  Phillips,  on  his  wray  home  from  church  yesterday, 
heard  a report  about  some  conspiracy  by  the  British,  and  sent  to 
know  if  you  had  mentioned  it.  I could  not  relieve  his  anxiety,  while 
he  excited  my  curiosity.  In  the  evening,  the  mystery  of  his  message 
was  explained.  Mr.  James  Perkins,  I.  P.  Davis,  Mr.  Savage,  and  W. 
Shaw,  met  here.  They  had  all  read  in  the  Washington  papers,  and  in 
your  letter  to  Otis,  the  wonderful  ado  about  nothing,  which  the 
Administration  are  trying  to  excite  by  the  correspondence  of  John 
Henry.  This  town  has  seldom  been  in  such  a state  of  political  bustle 
on  a Sunday  as  was  witnessed  yesterday.  The  mail  arrived  about 
noon  : the  accounts  it  brought,  and  exaggerated  reports  of  their  pur- 
port, collected  a great  crowd  at  the  Exchange.  Nothing  in  the  whole 
business  is  so  strange  and  disgraceful  as  the  insinuation  and  evident 
design  of  the  President’s  message.  All  the  confessions  of  Henry 
only  tend  to  the  honor  of  the  Federalists ; and  yet  Madison  talks  of 


148 


“the  disaffected.7’*  The  gentleman  seemed  to  think  the  bubble  was 
allowed  to  burst  too  late  to  affect  the  New-Hampshire  election,  and 
too  soon  to  injure  ours. 

I told  Mr.  Perkins,  who  came  first,  what  you  said  in  your  late  let- 
ters on  the  subject  of  war.  He  confessed  your  reasonings  were  just 
as  to  the  probable  consequences,  but  that  he  was  not  patriotic  enough 
to  be  willing  to  be  the  sacrifice  ; that  he  had  nine  or  ten  ships 
now  afloat.  A war  of  one  month  with  Great  Britain  would  sweep 
our  whole  commerce  from  the  ocean.  The  consequences  to  the 
whole  community,  in  the  effects  upon  insurance-offices,  &c.,  would 
spread  the  ruin  far  and  wide.  The  general  result  to  the  country  at 
large,  in  a few  years,  might  be  a little  favorable ; but  the  face  of  soci- 
ety must  be  changed,  and  many  reduced  to  poverty.  He  preferred 
the  present  state  of  things  to  such  destruction. 

I received  your  enclosure  for  Otis,  and  your  line  of  apology  to  me 
in  the  cover.  The  letter  was  sent  immediately,  and  delivered  into 
his  own  hand.  I suppose  Mr.  Henry  has  furnished  your  honorable 
body  with  business  enough  to  employ  them  till  the  “ Hornet  ” ar- 
rives, — a happy  contrivance  for  such  a purpose. 

March  27,  1812. 

You  do  not  return  to  your  regular  series  of  letters  with  more 
pleasure  than  I welcome  you  from  the  wilds  of  Democratic  intrigue. 
I hope  you  convey  your  opinions  to  some  of  your  friends  who  are 
influential  in  giving  a tone  to  public  sentiment  and  expression  with 
regard  to  Henry’s  disclosures. 

The  view  you  propose  is  the  vantage-ground,  no  doubt ; but  I 
question  whether  they  can  be  prevailed  upon  to  take  it,  from  not 
understanding  the  designs  of  Madison,  and  his  real  plot  to  cast  odium 
upon  them  by  the  very  workings  of  their  own  honest  indignation. 


See  Appendix  III. 


149 


As  to  Great  Britain,  it  seems  to  me,  they  might  now  leave  her  to 
fight  her  own  battles.  By  her  long  conflict,  she  has  shown  her 
ability ; and  her  inexhaustible  resources  seem  to  be  equal  to  continue 
her  defence,  even  if  America  were  added  to  the  number  of  her  assail- 
ants. This  ought  to  be  a comfort  to  those  who  really  make  a point 
of  conscience  to  take  part  in  the  general  question,  between  her  and 
France,  of  right  and  wrong,  virtue  and  vice.  If  she  is  proved  to  be 
safe  in  her  own  keeping,  we  ought  to  look  to  ourselves  first,  as  we 
are  not  quite  so  well  armed  and  prepared  as  she  is. 

• 

Boston,  April  2,  1812. 

I have  your  letter  re-enforcing  the  views  and  principles  I have 
already  commended.  That  you  look  on  life  in  a different  light  from 
most  men  is  cause  of  joy  and  pride  to  me,  and  must  result  in  happi- 
ness and  success  to  yourself. 

To  prevent  the  election  of  Strong,  the  opposition  have  made  up 
a pamphlet  of  parts  of  Henry’s  disclosures,  leaving  out  all  that  is 
honorable  to  the  Federalists,  and  giving  heightened  representations  of 
every  thing  against  them.  They  have  sent  them  through  the  Demo- 
cratic post-offices,  to  the  exclusion  of  Federal  newspapers  and  state- 
ments. Mr.  Davis,  who  called  to-day,  said  that  the  news  from  the 
country  was  encouraging,  notwithstanding  their  efforts ; and  that 
the  general  state  of  public  opinion,  with  respect  to  the  question  of 
the  British  Government,  was  nearly  what  you  wished  to  induce.  The 
Federal  party  seem  to  have  taken  more  just  and  patriotic  ground  than 
ever,  and  the  papers  have  been  wisely  and  calmly  conducted ; yet 
there  are  still  some  men  who  disapprove  of  your  and  yet  more  of 
Mr.  Lloyd’s  views,  as  exhibited  in  your  respective  speeches.  But 
these  are  few,  and  are  daily  losing  their  adherents. 

Mr.  Channing  told  me  Mr.  S.  Dexter  had  returned  from  Washing, 
ton,  fully  satisfied  with  the  views  and  policy  of  the  Federalists  there, 
so  much  so  as  to  express  a willingness  again  to  exert  himself  in  their 
cause.  Mr.  Otis  also  coincides  in  your  opinions. 


150 


Boston,  April  4,  1812. 

A rumor  of  embargo  reached  town  last  night,  as  I am  informed  by 
our  servant,  who  says  that  you  and  Mr.  Lloyd  have  sent  on  the  news 
by  express.  How  true  this  is,  I know  not ; having  seen  no  one  to- 
day. The  “ Centinel  ” has  just  been  brought,  and  the  mystery  is 
explained.  Your  letter  to  Mr.  Otis  arrived  here  last  evening,  Fri- 
day, at  six  o’clock,  in  seventy-six  hours  from  Washington.  The 
tidings  of  the  impending  embargo  were  immediately  sent  off  in  every 
direction  by  other  expresses.  It  was  to  be  delivered  at  Portland  at 
noon  to-day ; sy  that  the  trick  of  its  being  suspended  to  so  late  a 
moment  will  be  in  a great  degree  counteracted.  Your  spirit  and  acti- 
vity are  visible  in  this  development,  and  do  you  honor. 

April  6,  Monday,  1812. 

The  intelligence  communicated  by  your  letter  has  excited  an 
unprecedented  sensation  here.  The  trucks  were  going  all  Sunday ; 
and  the  wharves,  I am  told,  were  as  full  and  as  busy  as  they  were 
ever  seen.  Every  ship  or  boat  that  can  move  is  preparing  to  get  off 
before  they  are  stopped  by  the  embargo.  This  effort  is  an  important 
service  to  the  merchants ; and  another,  I hope,  will  be  produced  by 
the  industry  of  the  Federalists  at  the  election  to-day.  The  weather 
has  been  threatening,  but  is  now  clearing  off.  Under  the  present 
excitement,  I do  not  think  a storm  would  be  injurious. 

Few  parts  of  the  State  were  unacquainted  with  your  notice  of  the 
embargo  this  morning.  The  Democrats  sent  off  expresses  also  to 
contradict  the  assertion  of  your  letter,  and  say  it  was  all  an  election- 
eering trick.  Never  has  there  been  such  exertion  before  in  this 
vicinity.  There  were  great  fears  that  many  votes  might  be  lost  by 
seamen  and  others  being  hurried  away ; and  a committee  was  ap- 
pointed to  visit  the  wharves,  and  bring  up  all  qualified  voters  at  the 
general  expense.  Carriage  loads  of  seamen  and  others  belonging  to 
Plymouth  and  Salem  were  sent  last  night  to  those  towns  to  vote,  and 


151 


to  be  brought  back  immediately  to  their  vessels.  If  this  day  is  lost, 
it  will  not  be  from  any  fault  of  the  Federal  pai'ty. 

Before  I close  this  letter,  I will  tell  you  the  state  of  the  poll  here. 
Our  servant  has  just  come  in  with  the  annexed  statement:  Strong 
has  three  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty  votes;  Gerry,  one 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty-three.  Strong  has  seven  hun- 
dred more  Federal  votes  than  last  year. 

In  Salem,  at  the  opening  of  the  poll,  the  Democrats  raised  a riot, 
forced  the  selectmen  from  their  places,  and  declared  they  should  not 
take  the  votes.  The  deputy  sheriff  had  declined  to  act ; and  the 
people  had  sent  off  for  the  high  sheriff  at  Ipswich,  who  had  ordered 
out  the  militia. 

April  8,  1812. 

The  riot  in  Salem  was  owing  to  the  selectmen  having  struck 
illegal  voters  from  their  list : it  was  quelled,  and  the  election  con- 
cluded within  the  prescribed  time.  Official  news  of  the  embargo  has 
not  yet  arrived,  though  expected  every  hour.  A signal  on  Fort  Hill 
is  to  be  hoisted,  the  moment  it  is  received,  to  give  notice  to  the 
vessels  lying  below  to  sheer  off.  We  have  heard  it  had  been  enforced 
in  New  York.  Some  people  still  pretend  to  doubt  the  account. 

Dr.  Eliot*  came  to  see  me  yesterday:  he  was  quaint  and  pleasant, 
as  usual.  Judge  Davis  and  Mr.  Channing  were  also  among  my  visit- 
ors. We  have  a snow-storm,  but  do  not  complain,  as  the  election  is 
over.  As  far  as  good  weather  could  help  us,  we  were  favored  by 
genial  skies. 

To-morrow  is  Fast  Day.  Mr.  Channing  again  declined  to  read  the 
proclamation.  He  told  me  he  did  not  think  there  was  any  reason, 
civil  or  religious,  obliging  him  to  produce  in  the  pulpit  the  warrant 
by  which  he  gave  notice  of  the  observance  of  the  day  according  to 
order  and  usage. 


* Rev.  John  Eliot,  D.D.,  of  the  New  North  Church,  Boston. 


152 


The  people  in  this  neighborhood  have  certainly  done  nobly  all  that 
could  be  done.  Those  at  a distance  are  in  some  degree  to  be  pitied. 
No  Federal  papers  have  been  allowed  to  go  through  the  post-office ; 
while  they  have  been  deluged  with  those  of  the  opposite  party,  and 
with  pamphlets  and  agents  to  misrepresent  the  truth.  The  great  body 
of  the  people  are,  therefore,  probably  ignorant  of  the  real  state  of  t lie 
country,  and  of  the  conduct  of  their  rulers. 

We  have  heard  the  embargo  has  passed  both  houses,  and  will  be 
here  to-day.  Every  vessel  that  could  get  off  is  gone : those  that 
remain  may  go  to  sleep  for  the  rest  of  the  season. 

April  10,  1812. 

I have  received  your  letter  of  the  4th  inst.,  and  sympathize  with 
you  in  head  and  heart.  Three  hours  before  its  arrival,  the  flag  of 
Embargo  was  hoisted  on  Fort  Hill,  — that  flag  which  every  American 
should  blush  to  see  thus  erected  to  our  own  destruction,  instead  of 
waving  to  protect  and  extend  our  prosperity.  You  might  well  say, 
“We  have  no  flag.”  Above  fifty  sail  of  vessels  got  out  before  the 
order  came.  Can  there  be  a more  evident  contradiction  of  the  pre- 
tended necessity  of  thus  protecting  a commerce  only  anxious  to 
escape  from  its  embrace  ? 

The  “ Lothair,”  from  England,  arrived  at  six  o’clock  last  evening, 
and  was  to  have  sailed  again  this  morning ; for  which  purpose,  they 
were  loading  her  all  night : but  she  has  been  caught  by  the  em- 
bargo. In  the  hurry  to  load  the  vessels  with  cotton  and  flour,  beef, 
Ac.,  the  contents  of  those  which  had  just  arrived  were  scattered  over 
the  wharves.  The  poor  people  went  and  helped  themselves  unmo- 
lested ; the  owners  saying  only,  “ Take  these  things  out  of  our  way, 
and  help  us  to  get  in  the  new  load.” 

But  now  those  walks,  and  scenes  of  activity,  will  be  silent  enough  ; 
the  season  most  favorable  to  business  must  pass  in  idleness ; and 
what  misery  may  not  be  expected  to  follow  the  excision  of  the  means 


153 


of  life  and  subsistence  from  so  large  a portion  of  the  community! 
Yet  thirty-five  thousand  men  can  be  found  in  this  commercial  State 
voting  to  support  such  an  Administration,  — thirteen  hundred  in  this 
town,  — without  the  excuse  of  not  knowing  better.  The  gentlemen 
now  seem  to  have  no  doubt  of  the  election  of  Strong.  There  will 
also  be  a Federal  House.  The  new  division  of  districts  prevents 
such  a Senate  as  would  otherwise  have  been  secured. 

Both  the  clergymen  I heard  yesterday  preached  very  orthodox 
doctrine,  according  to  your  opinion.  Mr.  Channing’s  subject  was  the 
baneful  effects  of  party-spirit.  In  the  treatment  of  it,  he  gave  much 
offence  to  some  high-toned  partisans.  I thought  it  one  of  the  most 
excellent  and  eloquent  discourses  I ever  heard. 

The  people  here  indulge  a hope  that  embargo  and  non-intercourse 
will  be  allowed  to  expire  together ; and  that  the  last  measure  imposed 
was  the  only  way  to  get  rid  of  the  Non-intercourse  Act,  without 
actually  treading  back  their  steps.  Mr.  Davis  and  Mr.  Perkins  were 
here  last  evening.  Both  were  very  dull  at  the  prospect  of  war ; and 
said,  if  you  saw  any  light  or  hope,  you  were  the  only  man  in  the 
country  who  did  so.  We  are  all  disappointed  that  Clinton  is  out- 
generalled  by  Madison,  who,  it  is  intimated,  has  detached  Governor 
Tompkins  by  proposing  to  make  him  Vice-President. 

I have  had  some  apprehensions  that  Calhoun  might  resent  the  use 
you  made  of  his  name,  and  the  information  he  gave  of  the  intended 
embargo.  Some  of  the  Democrats  said,  at  first,  that  he  deserved  to  be 
hanged ; but  luckily  it  leaked  out  that  Seaver  had  written  to  some  of 
his  friends,  several  days  before  your  letter  came,  that  the  measure 
could  not  be  brought  on,  as  they  were  opposed  in  the  committee  by 
a majority  of  one  vote.  Mr.  Bridge,  in  consequence,  made  a bet  with 
Mr.  J.  Coffin  Jones  that  you  were  mistaken.  This  bet  he  has  since 
paid  ; and,  when  asked  why  he  made  it,  he  frankly  said,  on  the  strength 
of  Seaver’s  account  of  the  committee.  So,  whenever  any  thing  is  said 
about  Calhoun,  they  are  silenced  by  the  name  of  Seaver. 

20 


154 


What  do  you  think  of  the  merchants  here  refusing  to  subscribe  to 
Gallatin’s  loan  ? He  will  get  very  little. 

Your  views  as  to  general  policy  are  no  doubt  correct  and  wise ; 
but  Madison  understands  the  nature  of  the  people,  and  makes  good 
use  of  the  knowledge  for  his  own  purposes.  I am  glad  you  have 
looked  with  a temperate  hope  on  the  success  of  our  election.  You 
will  be  the  less  disappointed  at  the  slender  figure  it  makes. 

April  27,  1812. 

I have  just  received  yours  of  the  22d,  giving  hopes  the  question 
of  recess  would  be  that  day  decided.  Mr.  Channing  was  here  this 
morning.  He  seems  almost  ill  with  anxiety  about  public  affairs,  and 
wearies  himself  to  account  for  what  is  unaccountable  in  itself,  — the 
motives  and  intentions  of  the  dominant  party.  The  late  election  in 
Massachusetts,  he  thought,  must  have  convinced  them  that  the  system 
of  depressing  commerce  could  not  be  continued,  and  that  the  present 
violence  was  intended  to  ruin  and  destroy  the  merchants  and  the 
cities  on  the  seaboard,  and  induce  a new  state  and  face  of  society 
more  conformable  to  their  views  and  policy.  Everybody  is  coming 
and  sending  to  know  what  you  say  and  think.  I can  only  reply,  you 
know  not  what  to  say  or  to  think,  except  that  there  is  no  calculation 
to  be  made  about  such  men  as  lead  the  majority. 

Have  any  of  your  friends  told  you  of  the  conduct  of  Governor  Gerry 
at  a late  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Overseers  of  Harvard  College? 

When  he  was  notified,  as  usual,  of  the  meeting  of  the  Board  at  the 
Council  Chamber  last  week,  he  returned  for  answer,  he  knew  of  no 
such  Board;  they  had  no  existence:  and  warned  them,  that,  if  they 
held  such  a meeting,  it  was  at  their  peril,  and  the  peril  of  the  interests 
of  the  university.  He  also  prohibited  the  use  of  the  Council  Cham- 
ber, and  said  he  washed  his  hands  of  their  proceedings,  and  of  all 
the  consequences  resulting  to  the  institution.  They  met,  however, 
and  immediately  adjourned  to  the  Academy  Room,  where  they  or- 


155 


ganized  themselves.  When  Mr.  Senator  Dana  made  his  appearance, 
Mr.  Gore,  who  presided,  immediately  observed,  that,  as  President  of 
the  Senate,  he  was  President  of  the  Board;  and  offered  to  resign  his 
seat.  Mr.  Dana  declined  accepting  it,  saying  he  doubted  the  legality 
of  the  meeting,  Ac.,  much  as  the  Governor  had  done.  The  gentlemen 
then  said,  that,  while  he  was  present,  no  other  person  could  take  the 
seat  as  President;  and  inferred  he  must  withdraw,  or  no  business 
could  be  done.  Thereupon  he  withdrew ; and  they  proceeded  to 
appoint  a committee  to  report  on  the  real  state  of  the  question  be- 
tween the  Board  and  the  Legislature,  and  advise  what  steps  were 
expedient  to  be  taken.  The  committee  are  Dexter,  Otis,  Gore,  civi- 
lians ; Dr.  Porter  and  Dr.  Holmes,  clergymen.  They  are  to  report 
next  week ; and  thus  the  affair  stands.  These  proceedings  will 
interest  you,  and  I have  therefore  filled  my  paper  with  them. 

Ever  yours,  E.  S.  Quincy. 

A few  days  after  the  date  of  this  letter,  Mr.  Quincy  came  home 
on  a short  visit  to  his  family.  On  his  return,  he  invited  Mr.  Channing 
to  accompany  him  to  Washington.  At  Havre  de  Grace,  he  formed 
an  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Sparks,  a student,  absent  on  leave,  from 
Harvard  College.  They  went  together  on  an  excursion  to  an  island 
in  the  Susquehannah,  not  anticipating  that  they  should  become  friends 
for  life,  or  that  two  future  Presidents  of  Harvard  then  crossed  that 
restless  wave. 

The  extracts  from  the  correspondence  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quincy  are 
here  continued : — 

To  Hon.  Josiah  Quincy , City  of  Washington. 

Boston,  May  30,  1812. 

This  has  been  a proud  day  for  Boston  and  Massachusetts.  Mr. 
Strong  having  notified  his  intention  of  coming  to  Boston  to-day  to 
meet  the  Legislature,  Mr.  Gore  behaved  very  handsomely  on  the 


156 


occasion.*  lie  anticipated'  Mr.  Lyman  in  an  invitation  to  Mr.  Strong 
to  pass  the  night  at  his  house  at  Waltham  ; invited  the  Boston  Hus- 
sars to  breakfast  there  ; and  then  accompanied  him  to  town.  The 
escort  of  private  citizens  assembled  on  Cambridge  Common,  in  front  of 
the  Colleges.  The  morning  being  fine,  we  drove  to  Cambridge  over 
Craigie’s  Bridge  (the  escort  having  preceded  us  by  another  route), 
took  a stand  in  the  college-yard,  and  had  a fine  view  of  the  whole 
ceremony.  Three  sides  of  the  Common  were  lined  with  horsemen ; 
the  fourth,  by  carriages.  Mr.  Strong  came  from  Waltham,  preceded 
by  the  Hussars,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Phillips,  and  in  his  carriage. 
The  Hussars  formed,  and  the  carriage  stopped  very  near  us.  Colonel 
Apthorp,  on  horseback,  at  the  head  of  a committee  of  the  citizens 
of  Boston,  made  a very  handsome  address,  which  I heard  distinctly, 
and  also  the  Governor’s  reply.  The  cavalcade  then  formed,  and 
passed  and  preceded  the  carriage  in  which  Mr.  Strong  and  Mr.  Phil- 
lips were  seated,  the  Hussars  attending  it : the  citizens  in  carriages 
followed,  and  proceeded  to  Boston  over  Charlestown  Bridge.  There 
must  have  been  several  thousand  people  assembled ; but  there  was  not 
a loud  word  spoken.  Salutes  were  fired  from  Bunker’s  Hill,  Copp’s 
Hill,  and  the  Common ; all  the  flags  flying,  bells  chiming  and  ring- 
ing : in  short,  such  a joyous  reception  was  never,  I believe,  given 
before  to  any  magistrate.  Your  uncle  Mr.  Phillips  looked  very  fierce 
in  his  cocked  hat  and  cockade. 

I enclose  a letter  Mr.  Buckminster  sent  here  for  Mr.  Channing. 

June  6,  1812. 

We  were  gratified  to  hear  that  Mr.  Channing  was  able  to  preach 
the  day  after  you  arrived  at  Washington.  The  letters  from  Mr. 
Thacher  are  favorable ; but  Mr.  Buckminster  has  had  an  attack  of 
his  constitutional  malady. 

* Hon.  Christopher  Gore,  Governor  of  Massachusetts  in  1809,  and  the  Federal  candidate  the 
two  preceding  years. 


157 


I mentioned  Mr.  Gore’s  magnanimity  at  the  accession  of  Governor 
Strong ; but  I think  Mr.  Gerry  exceeded  him.  Mr.  Davis  said  he 
deserved  great  credit  for  the  manner  in  which  he  resigned  the  chair. 
All  former  incumbents,  when  superseded,  abandoned  the  Council 
Chamber  before  the  entrance  of  the  Governor  elect,  leaving  only 
some  of  the  former  Council  to  receive  him ; but  last  Saturday,  when 
Mr.  Strong  was  escorted  to  the  State  House  with  so  much  distinction, 
on  entering  the  Council  Chamber,  there  was  Governor  Gerry  in  the 
chair  of  State,  with  Lieutenant-Governor  Gray,  and  his  councillors. 
He  received  Mr.  Strong,  placed  him  at  his  right  hand,  Mr.  Phillips  at 
his  left,  and  conversed  politely  and  agreeably  with  them  till  a Com- 
mittee of  the  Legislature  came  to  inform  the  Governor  and  Lieu- 
tenant-Governor elect  that  they  were  ready  to  qualify  them.  Mr. 
Strong  and  Mr.  Phillips  then  took  leave  of  Governor  Gerry,  and 
went  to  be  qualified,  expecting  he  would  take  the  opportunity  to 
depart ; but,  on  their  return  to  the  Council  Chamber,  Mr.  Gerry  was 
still  there.  He  then  rose,  and  with  a very  polite  movement  resigned 
the  chair  to  Governor  Strong  ; walked  round  the  circular  table, 
stopped  opposite  to  him,  bowed  respectfully,  and  wished  him  much 
happiness  and  a prosperous  administration.  Mr.  Gray  did  the  same. 
They  then  left  the  State  House.  Mr.  Gerry  took  Mr.  Gray  to  his  resi- 
dence in  Summer  Street,  and  pursued  his  way  home  to  Cambridge. 

Now,  this  was  doing  the  thing  very  handsomely,  and  does  Mr. 
Gerry  honor,  whatever  exertion  it  may  have  cost  him. 

There  is  no  mail  south  of  New  York  to-day.  These  failures  are 
very  tantalizing  to  the  public. 

The  bells  are  now  summoning  a town-meeting  for  the  purpose  of 
considering  and  disapproving  the  measures  of  the  General  Govern- 
ment in  relation  to  war.  General  Dearborn  gives  great  offence  by 
mounting  a guard  at  his  lodgings,  and  parading  sentinels  before  the 
door,  which  are  relieved  with  as  much  ceremony  as  if  there  was 
actual  war,  and  a necessity  for  such  a piece  of  mummery. 


158 


June  10,  1812. 

I have  now  the  melancholy  task  to  acquaint  you  with  the  death  of 
Buckminster.  That  pure  and  elevated  spirit,  that  mind  so  rich  in 
wisdom  and  knowledge,  the  eloquent  orator,  the  Christian  minister, 
the  ornament  of  society,  is  no  longer  among  us.  The  premature 
brightness  of  his  morning  ray  promised  a meridian  of  uncommon 
splendor  and  usefulness.  By  the  loss  of  Mr.  Buckminster,  at  the 
early  age  of  twenty-eight  years,  the  life  of  Mr.  Clianning  becomes 
even  more  valuable.  His  family  seem  to  be  impressed  by  this  new 
proof  of  your  kindness,  and  also  by  others,  which,  I believe,  he  has 
gratefully  acknowledged  as  having  received  from  you. 

I draw  great  comfort  from  your  cheerful  anticipations  of  good  from 
evil,  and  hope  they  will  impart  it  to  those  who  are  less  believing. 

Dr.  Eliot  came  yesterday.  He  truly  thought  I might  want  con- 
solation, knowing  how  highly  we  prized  Buckminster.  He  seemed 
more  affected  and  depressed  than  from  his  cheerful  temperament  I 
should  have  expected  him  to  be.  The  sensibility  which  this  event 
excites  has  in  a great  degree  superseded  political  anxiety. 

To  Mrs.  Eliza  S.  Quincy. 

Washington,  June  9. 

My  dear  Wife,  — I suppose  the  course  of  our  proceedings  here 
will  occasion  great  alarm  in  Massachusetts.  There  prevails  a temper 
next  to  insanity  in  Congress.  I shall  do  my  duty  according  to  my 
utmost  talent  and  prudence  ; but  little  hope  can  be  expected  from 
exertion.  All  is  prepared  and  settled  in  caucus,  and  neither  argu- 
ment nor  passion  has  any  influence. 

Mr.  Channing  left  me  to-day  for  Baltimore  in  a coach  and  four, 
with  only  one  gentleman,  — a pleasant  circumstance,  as  the  thermo- 
meter varies  from  eighty-six  to  ninety,  and  the  rays  of  the  sun  are 
like  those  of  a furnace.  He  has  been  gratified  by  his  journey ; but 
our  secret  session  precluded  his  attending  our  debates. 


159 


Washington,  13th  June,  1812. 

The  great  event  pending  in  the  Senate  is  in  a degree  uncertain ; 
hut  there  are  ninety-nine  chances  to  a hundred  of  its  adoption.  Its 
passage  depends  upon  intrigue,  upon  personal  and  local  motives. 
The  fete  of  the  country,  so  far  as  it  rests  on  the  proposition  before  the 
Senate,  is  in  the  hands  of  about  five  as  unprincipled  men,  politically 
speaking,  as  there  are  in  Congress.  Should  it  pass,  its  publication 
will  cause  a great  sensation.  You  must  prepare  with  all  your  firm- 
ness to  meet  the  worst  prognostications  that  agitated  minds  can 
invent.  Perhaps  you  may  hear  the  Federalists,  and  even  your  hus- 
band, condemned  by  men  who  know  nothing  of  the  state  of  affairs 
on  the  floor  of  Congress.  Undoubtedly  the  crisis  is  great ; and,  could 
it  have  been  prevented,  it  would  have  been. 

The  men  at  the  helm  are  determined  to  keep  their  grasp  on  the 
commercial  interests  at  all  hazards.  They  differ  among  themselves 
about  the  means. 

The  Southern  and  Western  men,  who  want  war,  have  seized  on 
favorable  circumstances,  and  are  propelling  the  Government  into  it 
headlong.  Those  among  the  Democrats,  who  think  that  war  will 
secure  Madison’s  re-election,  support  them ; while  others  among  that 
party,  who  mean  to  ruin  him,  vote  for  it  for  the  same  object.  The 
Federalists,  by  watching  the  currents,  have  well-nigh  defeated,  and 
may  yet  defeat,  the  project ; but  the  chance  looks  hourly  more  hope- 
less, as  great  exertions  are  making  by  the  most  violent  to  whip  in 
those  who  seem  inclined  to  be  contumacious. 

Washington,  June  15. 

I mourn  with  you  and  the  public  the  loss  of  Buckminster:  — 

“ He  was  a pearl  too  pure  on  earth  to  dwell, 

And  waste  his  splendor  in  this  mortal  shell.” 

I cannot  write  all  that  I feel,  and  must  dismiss  this  painful  topic. 
Our  business  proceeds  slowly,  but,  as  I think,  assuredly,  to  its  mad 


160 


end  in  the  Senate.  The  first  shock  will  be  great;  but  afterwards,  I 
have  no  doubt,  good  will  result. 

June  18,  1812. 

The  great  question  of  war  with  England  was  decided  yesterday 
in  the  Senate,  nineteen  to  thirteen  ; and  yet,  strange  as  it  may  appear, 
a majority  of  the  Senate  declare  themselves  opposed  to  the  measure. 
The  violence  of  the  majority  here  is  absolutely  inconceivable.  Since 
it  cannot  be  prevented,  do  not  allow  your  mind  to  be  agitated  by 
those  around  you.  The  memorial  and  petitions  against  war  are  heard 
with  indifference ; those  in  favor,  with  exultation.*  My  engagements 
are  such  as  preclude  my  only  assuring  you  of  my  health  and  de- 
votion. 

Yours,  Josiah  Quincy. 


To  Hon.  Josiah  Quincy. 

Boston,  June  22. 

I have  received  to-day  your  final  account  of  the  decision  of  the 
Senate,  and  consequently  the  fate  of  the  country,  as  far  as  they  can 
implicate  it  by  their  measures.  The  people  are  stunned,  and  hardly 
know  what  to  believe,  or  to  expect  next. 

Mr.  Channing  reached  home  last  evening,  and  called  here  this 
morning.  He  says  he  has  gained  health  and  strength,  and  requests 
me  to  express  to  you  his  grateful  and  lively  sense  of  your  unwearied 
kindness  and  liberality  to  him. 

I gave  you  yesterday  some  political  accounts.  The  sensation 
among  the  people  is  very  great.  I hope  it  may  not  rise  to  acts  of 
absolute  hostility  to  the  Government. 

It  is  thought  Governor  Strong  will  not  consent  to  put  the  drafted 
militia  under  General  Dearborn ; and  it  is  farther  publicly  avowed  by 
the  men,  that  they  will  not  march  under  his  command. f The  ferment 


* See  Appendix  IV. 

f See  Hildreth’s  “ History  of  the  United  States,”  vol.  iii.  p.  373. 


161 


is  greater  than  you  probably  calculate  upon.  Personal  altercations 
have  taken  place,  which  had  nearly  proceeded  to  serious  collisions. 

Mr.  Davis,  last  evening,  seemed  very  melancholy.  I tried  to 
console  him  with  some  of  your  hopes.  He  allowed  them  no  efficacy. 
“ Where,”  said  he,  “ can  good  come  from  ? It  is  a war  on  Northern 
commerce  and  prosperity ; and,  whatever  else  results  to  the  country, 
to  us  it  must  bring  ruin  and  desolation.  We  have  twenty  millions  of 
property  in  England ; the  sea  covered  with  our  ships.  All  this  must 
be  sacrificed  ; the  course  of  trade  changed ; the  carrying-trade  super- 
seded by  other  neutrals,  who  will  come  and  take  the  produce  of  the 
Southern  States,  so  that  they  will  be  no  losers.”  . . . 

I am  sad  to  think  what  you  will  come  home  to,  — no  more  cheer- 
ful faces  or  happy  friends ; but,  if  your  life  is  preserved,  we  have 
every  thing  to  be  grateful  for  in  that  one  possession. 

Ever  yours,  Eliza  S Quincy. 


21 


CHAPTER  VI. 


% 


The  political  excitement  and  commercial  distress  caused  by  the 
declaration  of  war  with  Great  Britain  continued  to  increase,  and 
every  mind  was  agitated  with  solicitude  and  alarm.  At  Quincy, 
the  ships  in  the  harbor,  especially  those  apparently  of  a warlike  cha- 
racter, were  anxiously  watched.  Toward  evening,  on  the  29th  of 
August,  1812,  a frigate  (recognized  as  the  “ Constitution,”  com- 
manded by  Captain  Hull)  came  in  under  full  sail,  and  dropped  her 
anchor  beside  Rainsford  Island,  — then  the  Quarantine  Ground. 
The  next  morning,  a fleet  of  armed  ships  appeared  off  Point  Alder- 
ton.  As  they  rapidly  approached,  the  “ Constitution  ” was  observed 
to  raise  her  anchor  and  sails,  and  go  boldly  forth  to  meet  the  ap- 
parent enemy ; but,  as  the  frigate  passed  the  leader  of  the  fleet, 
a friendly  recognition  was  exchanged,  instead  of  the  expected  broad- 
side. They  joined  company,  and  the  “ Constitution  ” led  the  way  to 
Boston.  It  was  the  squadron  of  United-States  ships,  then  commanded 
by  Commodore  Rogers,  unexpectedly  returning  from  a long  cruise. 

A few  days  afterwards,  Hull,  who  had  just  taken  the  “ Guerriere,” 
came  with  Decatur  to  breakfast  at  Quincy.  When  this  incident  was 
mentioned,  Hull  said,  “ I must  acknowledge,  I participated  in  the  ap- 
prehensions of  my  friends  on  shore.  Thinking  myself  safe  in  port, 
I told  my  officers  to  let  the  men  wash  their  clothes,  and  get  the  ship 
in  order  to  go  up  to  Boston ; and,  being  excessively  fatigued,  went 


163 


to  my  state-room.  I was  sound  asleep,  when  a lieutenant  rushed 
down,  exclaiming,  ‘ Captain,  the  British  are  upon  us  ! — an  armed  fleet 
is  entering  the  harbor  ! ’ No  agreeable  intelligence,  certainly  ; for  I 
was  wholly  unprepared  to  engage  with  a superior  force.  But,  deter- 
mined to  sell  our  lives  as  dear  as  I could,  I gave  orders  to  clear  the 
decks,  weigh  anchor,  and  get  ready  for  immediate  action.  I confess, 
I was  greatly  relieved  when  I saw  the  American  flag,  and  recog- 
nized Rogers.”  In  speaking  of  the  conflict  with  the  “ Guerriere,” 
he  said,  “ I do  not  mind  the  day  of  battle  ; the  excitement  carries  one 
through  : but  the  day  after  is  fearful ; it  is  so  dreadful  to  see  my  men 
wounded  and  suffering.” 

These  naval  officers  formed  a striking  contrast.  Hull  was  easy 
and  prepossessing  in  his  manners,  but  looked  accustomed  to  face  “ the 
battle  and  the  breeze.”  Decatur  was  uncommonly  handsome,  and 
remarkable  for  the  delicacy  and  refinement  of  his  appearance. 

In  the  summer  of  1812,  Mr.  Quincy  invited  Mr.  Adams  to  dine  at 
Quincy  with  the  Massachusetts  Agricultural  Society,  the  Presidency 
of  which  he  had  recently  resigned.  When  the  day  came,  Mr.  John 
Lowell  arrived,  accompanied  by  Colonel  Pickering,  with  whom  Mr. 
Adams  had  differed,  when  President,  concerning  an  appointment,  for 
which  his  son-in-law,  Colonel  Smith,  was  a candidate,  and  also  on  other 
subjects.  Mr.  Pickering  resigned  the  office  of  Secretary  of  State, 
and  no  intercourse  had  been  sustained  between  them  since  their 
parting  at  Washington.  Mr.  Quincy,  after  welcoming  Colonel  Pick- 
ering, thought  it  expedient  to  apprise  him  that  President  Adams  was 
an  expected  guest.  “ When  I accepted  Mr.  Lowell’s  invitation  to 
accompany  him,”  replied  Colonel  Pickering,  “ I did  not  anticipate 
meeting  Mr.  Adams,  as  I heard  he  had  resigned  his  office  in  your 
society.  If  it  will  give  Mrs.  Quincy  or  yourself  a moment’s  anxiety, 
I will  go  away  immediately ; but  I have  no  objection  to  meet  Mr. 
Adams  as  your  guest,  and  should  very  much  prefer  to  remain  and 
pass  the  day  here.” 


164 

President  Adams  soon  after  arrived,  attended  by  Colonel  Smith. 
Mr.  Quincy  met  him  at  the  door  of  his  carriage,  and  said,  “ On  the 
invitation  of  Mr.  Lowell,  Colonel  Pickering  has  come  here  to  dine 
with  the  Agricultural  Society.  He  says  he  shall  be  happy  to  meet 
you,  Mr.  Adams ; and  I hope  it  will  not  be  disagreeable  to  you  to  see 
him.”  — “ As  your  friend,  Mr.  Quincy,  I am  very  happy  to  meet 
Colonel  Pickering.”  After  being  received  by  Mrs.  Quincy,  Mr.  Adams 
shook  hands  with  his  former  associate ; and  they  met  with  courtesy 
and  apparent  pleasure. 

At  the  dinner-table,  Mrs.  Quincy  had  President  Adams  on  her 
right  hand,  and  Colonel  Pickering  on  her  left ; and  Colonel  Smith 
was  near  the  upper  end  of  the  table,  which  was  surrounded  by 
fourteen  guests.  They  conversed  about  former  times  and  acquaint- 
ances ; took  wine  together ; and,  after  a very  agreeable  day  to  all 
present,  they  parted,  never  to  meet  again  in  this  world. 

In  the  evening,  Mrs.  Quincy  said  to  Mr.  Adams,  “ I hope,  sir,  this 
unexpected  meeting  has  not  injured  your  enjoyment  of  to-day.  It 
has  been  very  interesting  to  us  and  our  friends  to  see  you  and 
Colonel  Pickering  together.”  — “ No,  madam,”  was  the  reply  : “ I hope 
to  meet  Colonel  Pickering  in  heaven  ; and,  next  to  heaven,  I cer- 
tainly ought  to  be  willing  to  meet  him  here  in  your  house.  I have 
had  a very  pleasant  day ; and  am  glad  Colonel  Pickering  was  one  of 
your  guests,  and  has  enjoyed  it  with  us.” 

The  following  letter  from  Mrs.  Peter  illustrates  the  excitement  of 
this  period  : — • 


To  Mrs.  Quincy. 

Tudor  Place,  Georgetown,  D.C., 
July  27,  1812. 

My  dear  Friend,  — I intended  Mr.  Quincy  should  once  more  have 
served  as  a penny-post  to  us ; which  you  may  tell  him  from  me  would 
be  a place  of  distinction  at  this  time,  as  he  might  be  commissioned  by 


165 


worse  persons.  I beg  you  will  be  ready  to  attend  him  here  in 
November,  as  I cannot  again  excuse  you. 

It  is  delightful  to  us  to  meet  with  those  who  think  and  dare  talk 
as  we  do.  I am  resolved  to  express  my  sentiments  till  the  Sedition 
Law  is  put  in  force ; and  there  is  not  much  danger  of  that  until  after 
the  next  election.  Provided  the  present  party,  which  Heaven  for- 
bid, are  re-elected,  I believe  the  first  law  they  pass  will  be  that. 

We  were  much  gratified  by  the  respect  shown  at  the  meeting  of 
your  “ Washington  Benevolent  Society  ” to  the  memory  of  General 
Washington.  It  is  so  seldom  that  I am  gratified  in  that  way  in  this  part 
of  the  country,  that  I feel  a great  interest  in  the  Eastern  States,  and 
think  I should  be  more  at  home  there  than  here.  ...  We  have  read 
with  great  satisfaction  an  account  of  your  last  public  meeting  in  Bos- 
ton ; but  I beg  you  will  not  think  you  are  the  only  people  who  dare  say 
their  souls  are  their  own.  Here,  in  our  little  village,  we  have  dared, 
in  the  very  face  of  the  President  and  all  the  secretaries,  to  publish  the 
“ Federal  Republican ; ” and  not  only  to  circulate  it  here,  but  to  send 
it  by  express  to  Baltimore  yesterday  morning ; first  taking  care  to 
station  a party  of  veterans  of  old  times  there  to  insure  its  success. 
It  excited  great  consternation  in  the  town,  and  threw  every  thing 
into  confusion;  but  we  have  not  heard  the  final  result.  The  house 
from  which  it  was  issued  is  strongly  guarded,  and  it  is  thought  this 
will  be  & good  trial  of  the  strength  of  parties.  The  Federalists  have 
slept  so  long,  that  I believe  the  other  party  thought  they  would 
never  wake ; and,  indeed,  I was  very  much  of  their  opinion.  But  I 
rejoice  to  find  there  is  still  a little  of  the  blood  of  seventy-six  in  our 
veins,  and  that  it  can  become  warm. 

This  moment,  we  have  had  information  that  the  office  in  Baltimore 
had  again  been  attacked  last  night ; and  that,  at  five  o’clock  this 
morning,  the  mob  was  not  quieted.  . . . Several  lives  were  lost  in 
the  affray  last  night.  But  no  more  of  politics.  . . . 

Your  friend,  Martha  Peter. 


166 


By  the  attack  of  a mob  in  Baltimore  (as  mentioned  in  the  preced- 
ing letter)  on  the  office  of  Alexander  C.  Hanson,  Esq.,  editor  of  the 
“Federal  Bepublican,”  he  was  left  for  dead,  General  Lingan  killed, 
and  several  of  their  friends  wounded. 

In  the  midst  of  such  excitement  and  alarm,  Mr.  Quincy  would  no 
longer  consent  to  the  separation  from  his  family  which  his  station  in 
Congress  involved.  In  1812,  he  declined  to  be  a candidate  for  re- 
election;  and  went  to  Washington  for  the  last  time  in  November. 
Extracts  from  the  letters  of  Mrs.  Quincy  are  here  inserted : — 


Hon.  Josiah  Quincy , City  of  Washington. 

Boston,  Nov.  23,  1812. 

Your  letter  of  the  18th  gave  me  the  great  satisfaction  of  hearing 
of  your  safe  arrival  at  Washington.  I hope  the  session  will  prove 
more  animated  and  agreeable  than  you  expected.  The  good  news 
you  will  hear  from  this  part  of  the  country,  and  that  anticipated  from 
others,  will  place  you  on  high  ground.  Your  prophecies  are  likely  to 
he  fulfilled,  and  you  must  enjoy  some  gratification  in  the  present  state 
of  affairs.  The  gentlemen  here  are  in  high  spirits,  and  confidently 
expect  a change,  whether  Clinton  is  elected  or  not. 

Boston,  Dec.  13. 

Your  account  of  the  intrigues  and  projects  about  the  next  Presi- 
dency, and  the  appointments  relative  to  it,  are  disgraceful  enough. 
The  nature  of  our  Government  presents  to  you,  and  to  men  like  you, 
a labor  no  less  than  that  of  Sisyphus,  or  of  Hercules  himself  in  the 
Augean  stable.  But  you  have  always  been  philosopher  enough  to 
think  life  the  sphere  of  exertion,  and  a virtuous  object  worth  working 
for,  even  if  the  nature  of  things  deny  the  reward  of  success  to  your 
efforts.  Continue  to  think  and  act  so,  and  you  will  attain  at  least  the 
applause  of  your  own  heart,  and  the  respect  of  the  wise  and  good. 


167 


January  2,  1813. 

I have  received  yours  of  the  28th,  with  a correct  copy  of  your 
speech.*  Your  friends  are  delighted  with  it,  and  your  opponents  feel 
your  weight  and  influence. 

Speeches  made  on  the  floor  of  Congress  may  he  sowing  the 
wind ; but  it  is  those  seeds  which  are  intended  by  nature  to  be  so 
disseminated.  The  whirlwind  wafts  them  to  the  mountains  and  the 
vales,  where  they  germinate  and  take  root  for  the  nourishment  of 
thousands  who  never  had  an  opportunity  of  collecting  them  from  their 
original  nursery.  Old  Massachusetts’  hundred  hills  have,  I am  sure, 
borne  fruit  from  some  of  these  seeds ; and  I do  not  think  you  appre- 
ciate justly  their  importance.  It  is  the  only  way  by  which  information 
of  this  kind  can  reach  the  great  body  of  the  people.  Newspaper 
pages  are  generally  the  production  of  authors  without  a name  ; they 
have  no  individual  responsibility ; they  may  be  true,  they  may  be 
false : but,  when  a man  makes  such  statements  on  the  floor  of  Con- 
gress, they  can  no  longer  be  doubted.  Your  character  as  a public 
man,  as  a private  individual,  is  pledged  to  the  veracity  of  your  decla- 
ration, the  truth  of  your  testimony.  When  such  expositions  are  thus 
brought  before  the  public,  they  must  do  good.  The  effect  of  such  a 
speech  on  the  House  is  of  the  least  consideration ; but  I do  not  think 
you  do  justice  to  the  situation  as  a medium  through  which  much  effect 
can  be  produced. 

You  complain  of  the  apathy  of  some  of  your  constituents.  Most 
men  must  have  the  support  of  hope : without  some  prospect  of  suc- 
cess, few  will  be  active.  You,  I acknowledge,  are  one  of  the  few. 
After  discouraging  views,  you  generally  go  to  work  again  with  a 
vigor  which  cannot  be  subdued.  This  is  noble  and  admirable.  You 
must  animate  men,  by  your  example,  never  to  desist  from  exertion  in 
a good  cause. 

* Speech  on  a report  relative  to  relief  from  penalties  incurred  by  a late  importation  of  British 
manufactures  (“Federal  Republican,”  Georgetown,  D.C.,  Dec.  28,  1812). 


168 


January  31,  1813. 

You  will  think  that  I deal  in  superlatives  when  I say  we  have  had 
one  of  the  finest  sermons  from  Mr.  Channing  I ever  heard,  on  the 
nature  of  the  felicity  of  a future  state,  — its  progressive,  active, 
improving  character.  After  the  views  he  delineated,  the  sublime 
prospects  he  unfolded,  one  might  almost  exclaim,  “ Into  the  heaven 
of  heavens  he  has  presumed,  an  earthly  guest,  and  drawn  empyreal 
air.” 

Mr.  Shaw  mentioned  your  speech  in  the  highest  terms,  and  said  it 
was  even  more  admired  and  talked  of  than  any  of  the  preceding. 
Four  or  five  hundred  copies  have  been  sold,  and  they  talk  of  a second 
edition.*  I have  read  it  again,  and  Avith  you  I say,  “ There  is  not  a 
sentiment  or  a sentence  which  I wish  to  change  or  erase.  If  you  are 
sure  of  your  premises  (as  I presume  you  are),  the  conclusions  are  irre- 
sistible. The  newspapers  are  now  republishing  it,  so  that  its  circula- 
tion will  be  as  wide  as  the  Federal  press  can  extend  it ; and  wider 
too,  by  your  account  of  the  “ National  Intelligencer’s  ” ungraceful 
admission  of  it  into  its  columns.  How  do  you  account  for  their  pub- 
lishing it  at  all  ? 


Boston,  Feb.  3. 

Your  friends  are  very  anxious  to  know  the  effect  of  the  news  from 
Russia  upon  the  Administration  at  Washington.  What  you  say  on  the 
subject  will  be  very  grateful  to  them.  The  British  do  begin  to  work 
our  destruction,  in  this  part  of  the  country,  by  taking  all  our  vessels. 
But  nothing  they  will  do,  I fear,  will  affect  the  people  at  the  South. 
They  will,  for  their  own  sakes,  allow  neutral  vessels,  or  their  own 
under  neutral  papers,  to  take  away  their  products,  which  is  continu- 
ing their  harvest,  while  the  refusal  of  licenses  takes  away  every 
means  of  Northern  enterprise.  There  are  great  fears  that  the  rich 


Speech  on  an  act  to  raise  an  additional  military  force. 


169 


men  here  and  in  New  York  will  be  tempted  to  loan  money  to  Govern- 
ment. Your  uncle,  Mr.  Phillips,  will  stand  firm.  He  told  me  he  had 
rather  sink  every  dollar  he  had  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea. 

February  4,  1813. 

This  day  is  not  passed  by  me  without  the  interesting  recollection 
that  it  is  the  anniversary  of  your  birth.  May  each  future  year  of 
your  life  open  upon  you  with  the  same  increase  of  honor,  respect, 
gratitude,  and  love,  which  have  marked  every  preceding  one.  May 
your  usefulness  and  happiness  be  still  crowned  with  the  approbation 
and  blessing  of  Heaven,  and  the  applause  of  all  good  men.  Our 
children  are  very  anxious  to  know  how  old  you  are ; and  some  of 
them  look  quite  distressed  and  apprehensive  at  the  great  age  you 
have  attained.  I remember  when  I was  as  little  able  to  calculate  the 
real  value  and  importance  of  life  as  they  are  ; and  thought,  that, 
after  forty,  enjoyment  and  usefulness  must  cease,  and  life  itself  go 
out. 

May  the  evening  “ lustres  ” of  your  life  be  still  more  distinguished 
by  every  good  and  great  quality,  and  teach  those  who  love  you  best 
to  confess  that  you  had  taught  them  to  give  the  highest  value  to  the 
latest  of  their  number. 

Mr.  James  Perkins  was  here  this  evening.  He  was  full  of  the 
praise  of  your  speech,  and  said  he  had  distributed  copies  of  it  through 
the  country,  on  his  way  to  Exeter. 


February  13. 

Our  friend  Dr.  Eliot  has  been  taken  very  ill  suddenly.  I sent  to 
inquire  about  him  to-day,  and  received  word  that  he  was  not  expected 
to  survive  many  hours.  Out  of  the  circle  of  our  own  family,  I could 
not  have  a more  affecting  loss.  He  always  seemed  to  take  a pe- 
culiar interest  in  you,  in  your  success,  — your  happiness  in  every 
thing  concerning  you.  He  has  visited  me  very  often  this  winter,  and 

22 


170 


talked  to  me  confidentially  of  bis  views.  Last  week,  he  spent  an 
hour  here  one  morning,  and  mentioned  some  books  he  wished  me  to 
read : and  said,  when  he  went  away,  “ If  you  want  those  books  before 
Sunday,  send  for  them ; if  not,  I will  bring  them  next  week.”  I re- 
plied, “ I will  wait,  to  induce  you  to  come  again.”  I have  been 
expecting  him  every  day,  little  thinking  of  the  sad  intelligence  I 
should  hear.  I shall  never  see  him  again.  Perhaps  you  may  be 
surprised  at  the  degree  of  sorrow  I feel  at  the  thought ; but  the 
difference  of  age,  and  the  affectionate  simplicity  of  his  manners  and 
character,  seemed  to  blend  a parental  and  a friendly  feeling  toward 
us  in  a very  endearing  proportion. 

February  14,  1813. 

Dr.  Eliot  died  this  morning,  — his  mind  perfectly  clear,  tranquil, 
and  resigned ; full  of  hope  and  confidence  in  the  religion  he  had 
preached  and  professed.  Here,  then,  we  leave  our  pleasant  and 
venerable  friend.  We  shall  no  more  hear  his  voice  or  see  his  face. 
We  will  not  look  at  his  grave,  but  turn  our  thoughts  to  those  better 
mansions  which  are  promised  to  the  pure  in  heart.  Judge  Davis, 
who  walked  home  from  church  with  me  to-day,  could  hardly  command 
his  voice  in  speaking  of  Dr.  Eliot;  and  the  clergy  of  the  town  and 
vicinity  deeply  regret  his  loss.  They  are  all  his  juniors,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  Dr.  Lothrop;  and  he  was  very  interesting  to  them.  Your 
Historical  Society  has  lost  one  of  its  most  zealous  members.  Dr. 
Freeman,  Judge  Dawes,  Mr.  Gore,  and  all  his  personal  friends,  deeply 
feel  this  event.  Dr.  Kirkland  told  me  that  Mr.  M'Kean  had  written 
to  you  immediately  on  its  occurrence.  I am  pleased  he  remembered 
what  was  due  to  you  on  the  occasion. 

February  18. 

Last  evening,  Colonel  Pickering  spent  two  or  three  hours  here. 
He  desired  me  to  thank  you  for  a copy  of  your  speech ; and  said  he 
admired  it  for  many  reasons,  particularly  for  the  plain  speaking  it 
contained.  He  was  very  pleasant  and  friendly. 


m 


Your  friends  will  be  highly  gratified  that  you  do  not  vote  in  favor 

N 

of  the  bill  about  seamen.  How  the  Federalists  could  allow  them- 
selves to  he  intrigued  into  a support  of  it,  is  very  astonishing.  This 
is  exactly  what  Mr.  Madison  has  wanted,  — a relief  from  all  responsi- 
bility, besides  the  advantage  of  the  appearance  of  desiring  peace. 

Your  uncle  Mr.  Phillips  has  just-been  here,  very  anxious  to  know 
what  you  said.  I showed  him  your  letters  of  the  11th,  12th,  and  13th 
inst.  After  he  had  read  them,  he  insisted  on  taking  them  to  show  to 
Governor  Strong,  as  there  were  some  accounts  of  affairs  which  he 
thought  very  important  should  he  understood.  He  promised  to  use 
them  with  discretion,  and,  according  to  your  decided  wishes,  not  to 
publish  any  of  your  statements.  I must  have  been  very  peremptory 
had  I detained  them.* 

Boston,  March  3,  1813. 

I am  at  a loss  whether  to  date  your  departure  from  "Washington 
to-day  or  to-morrow ; hut,  at  any  rate,  it  cannot  be  many  hours  now 
before  you  are  actually  on  your  way  home.  I see  by  the  papers  that 
an  extra  session  for  next  May  is  resolved  upon.  How  joyfully  do  I 
realize  your  emancipation ! With  what  different  feelings  do  I now 
look  forward,  assured  that  you  are  not  only  returning,  but  returning 
not  to  depart  again  ! 

I now  lay  down  this  pen,  which  has  been  the  medium  of  so  many 
faithful  transcripts  of  a heart  devoted  to  you ; the  soother  of  so 
many  hours  of  solitude  ; the  talisman,  which,  in  imagination,  has  trans- 
ported me  to  your  side.  I lay  it  down  as  a glass  no  longer  requisite 
to  help  our  vision  of  each  other,  which  is  now  to  be  perfected  face  to 
face. 

This  period  of  our  lives  has  not  been  without  its  pleasures  and 
advantages,  the  value  of  which  we  may,  if  we  are  true  to  ourselves, 
continue  to  realize  throughout  the  remainder.  We  ought  to  be 


* It  is  probable  that  they  were  never  returned,  as  they  are  not  to  be  found  among  those  of 
that  period. 


172 


among  the  happiest  of  human  beings,  and  urge  our  endeavors  to 
become  what  such  high  privileges  demand.  With  such  feelings  let 
us  here  close  our  correspondence,  and  with  such  resolutions  let  us 
meet.  They  are  those  which  will  bless  us  together  on  e&rth,  and 
increase  the  happiness  of  a better  world. 

Here  and  for  ever  your  own 


Eliza  S.  Quincy. 


CHAPTEE 


VII. 


The  state  of  apprehension  and  alarm  which  existed  throughout  the 
country,  especially  on  the  seaboard,  during  the  war  with  England,  is 
described  in  the  following  letters : — 


From  Mrs.  Quincy  to  Mrs.  M.  S.  Morton. 

Boston,  May  7,  1813. 

My  dear  Mother, — - . . . We  are  very  unhappy  about  the  state 
of  the  country,  and  feel  the  effects  of  the  war  every  day  more  and 
more.  The  distress  in  this  and  the  more  eastern  part  of  the  country 
is  very  great,  owing  to  the  supplies  being  cut  off  by  the  British 
squadron,  and  our  own  crop  having  been  injured  last  year  by  unfa- 
vorable seasons.  I have  no  doubt  that  this  is  the  state  of  things  our 
rulers  intend  to  induce : they  seem  to  wish  to  ruin  the  Northern  and 
commercial  States. 

We  have  accounts  of  our  army  having  gone  into  Canada,  and  taken 
York.  As  soon  as  this  is  known  and  confirmed,  I have  no  doubt  the 
English  fleet  will  attack  Baltimore,  or  one  of  our  seaports.  This  war 
is  worse,  in  every  respect,  than  that  of  the  Revolution,  which  you 
remember ; for  that  was  a cause  on  which  we  could  ask  the  bless- 
ing of  Heaven  : for  the  success  of  this,  we  cannot  pray.  But  let  us 
endeavor  to  look  on  the  brightest  side,  and  not  give  way  to  unavail- 
ing regret.  What  we  can  neither  prevent  nor  remove,  we  are  not 


responsible  for.  The  course  of  Providence  will  proceed  with  the 
same  equable  progress,  whether  we  are  anxious  or  not.  Few  of  us 
know  what  to  wish  for  ; and  still  fewer  wish  for  what  we  ought, 
or  fear  what  is  really  to  be  apprehended. 

Letter  from  Mrs.  Peter. 

Tudor  Place,  Georgetown,  D.C., 
July  13,  1813. 

My  dear  Mrs.  Quincy,  — Accept  my  thanks  for  the  very  eloquent 
oration  of  Mr.  Quincy  before  the  Washington  Benevolent  Society. 
Tell  him  I have  received  the  thanks  of  that  society  for  the  gorget  of 
Washington  which  1 presented  to  them,  and  shall  ever  feel  flattered 
by  the  approbation  of  so  respectable  a portion  of  your  community. 
Mr.  Quincy’s  friendship  for  the  giver  has  caused  him  to  represent  her 
in  too  favorable  a light.  The  remarks  in  the  “ National  Intelligencer,” 
on  these  proceedings  in  Boston,  I thought  too  contemptible  to  excite 
displeasure,  and  concluded  that  to  have  gorged  the  editors  was  a 
great  triumph.  As  I hope  never  to  require  their  assistance  or  favor, 
their  declaration  of  having  no  “ attachment  to  the  relics  or  relatives 
of  Washington  ” was  rather  a compliment.  At  any  rate,  I should  be 
very  sorry  that  my  conduct  met  their  approbation. 

We  are  all  on  the  alert  here  to  give  the  British  a warm  recep- 
tion. An  express  arrived  on  Thursday  last,  saying  they  were  in 
the  river ; and,  as  the  wind  was  fair,  we  expected  every  moment  to 
see  their  white  sheets  shivering  in  the  breeze.  The  drums  began 
to  beat,  the  military  to  parade  ; and  in  a moment  all  was  bustle  and 
alarm.  Before  night,  scarcely  a man  was  to  be  seen  in  the  streets : 
they  were  all  posted  at  Fort  Warburton,  opposite  to  Alexandria. 
The  Secretaries  of  War  and  of  the  Navy  joined  the  van : and  each 
new-made  officer  vied  with  the  other  who  should  put  on  most  finery ; 
expecting,  no  doubt,  by  their  dazzling  appearance,  to  strike  the  enemy 
with  dismay. 


175 


I am  glad  Mr.  Peter  has  no  fancy  for  a military  life  ; as  I should 
much  regret  to  have  him  hold  a commission  under  our  present  rulers, 
or  draw  his  sword  in  so  unjust  a cause.  . . . 

I beg  you  to  write  to  me,  whenever  your  time  will  admit ; for,  be 
assured,  we  take  a sincere  interest  in  all  that  concerns  you.  Tell  Mr. 
Quincy,  I still  flatter  myself  I shall  see  him  here  as  a senator,  provided 
the  Englishmen  do  not  destroy  our  city. 

Very  sincerely  yours,  Martha  Peter. 

To  Mrs.  Quincy. 

Tudor  Place,  Georgetown,  D.C., 
Aug.  26,  1814. 

My  dear  Friend,  — Having  often  received  from  you  and  yours 
flattering  assurances  of  your  regard  for  us,  I have  thought  that  our 
situation  for  the  last  three  or  four  days  must  be  interesting  to  you. 

For  some  weeks,  the  citizens  have  expected  a visit  from  the 
British,  and  repeatedly  called  upon  the  Secretary  of  the  War  De- 
partment and  the  President  for  protection.  The  first  laughed  at 
what  he  called  their  idle  fears.  The  President  said  he  was  called  on 
from  all  quarters  for  protection ; that  he  could  not  protect  every  one  ; 
and  the  District  must  take  care  of  itself.  At  length,  he  consented 
to  abide  by  General  Winder’s  opinion  ; and  whatever  he  said  was 
requisite  should  be  provided.  About  three  days  before  the  British 
came,  Armstrong  acknowledged  that  he  now  believed  they  would  be 
here.  The  Cabinet  then  began  to  make  great  exertions,  and  assured 
the  citizens  that  they  would  have  so  large  a force,  that  it  would  be 
impossible  for  the  British  to  penetrate  through  them.  Knowing  our 
Treasury  to  be  much  in  want  of  money,  the  several  banks  in  the 
District  loaned  the  Cabinet  two  hundred  thousand  dollars  for  their 
defence.  On  Friday  last,  the  troops  were  all  ordered  to  march,  as  the 
enemy  were  landing,  in  considerable  numbers,  forty-five  miles  from 
Washington.  Unfortunately,  we  never  shut  the  stable-door  till  the 


176 


steed  is  stolen.  The  troops  marched,  but  were  not  numerous  enough 
to  go  and  oblige  the  British  to  return  to  their  vessels.  They  were 
ordered  to  encamp  sixteen  miles  from  the  city,  and  there  wait  for 
re-enforcements  ; during  which  time,  the  enemy  landed,  refreshed 
themselves  with  the  fat  of  the  land,  and  then  proceeded  twenty  miles 
to  a village  called  Upper  Marlborough,  where  they  staid  several  days 
longer  to  rest.  Still  our  troops  did  not  advance.  On  Monday,  the 
British  began  their  march.  Some  of  our  men  had  a slight  skirmish, 
but  soon  retreated ; and  then  our  wise  generals  concluded  to  con- 
tinue the  retreat  of  the  whole  army,  that  they  might  be  ready  when 
the  enemy  came.  They  arrived  near  Washington  on  Monday  night. 
The  officers  and  men  who  had  families  in  town  came  home  to  get 
something  to  eat ; as  many  said  they  had  not  had  a morsel  for  forty- 
eight  hours,  and  were  in  no  state  to  fight.  Tuesday,  they  went  forth 
to  battle  ; and  our  chief,  thinking  his  presence  might  occasion  them 
great  confidence,  buckled  on  his  sword,  put  his  holsters  on  his  saddle 
(pistols  in,  of  course),  and  set  out  at  five  o’clock  in  the  evening  to 
visit  the  camp,  attended  by  two  of  his  secretaries  and  several  private 
gentlemen.  He  returned  the  same  night ; begged  the  inhabitants  to 
be  composed ; assured  them  there  was  no  danger,  as  the  enemy  was 
safe  at  Marlborough ; and  that,  if  they  had  the  temerity  to  advance, 
they  would  not  proceed  far  before  we  should  teach  them  a lesson  they 
had  yet  to  learn.  All  this  time,  Mrs.  Madison’s  horses  were  ordered 
to  be  in  readiness,  and  an  express  was  to  be  sent  off  in  time  for  her  to 
escape.  Two  cannon  were  placed  opposite  the  Capitol,  two  at  the 
offices,  and  two  at  the  President’s  house. 

On  Wednesday,  our  troops  received  information  that  the  enemy 
were  at  Bladensburg  ; and  formed  themselves  in  battle  array  on  the 
ground  between  the  city  and  that  place.  From  what  I can  learn, 
nothing  was  ever  worse  ordered.  For  an  hour  before  the  engagement 
took  place,  the  General  was  not  to  be  found.  The  President  was  on 
the  ground,  who,  no  doubt,  had  some  little  curiosity  to  see  what  sort 


177 


of  beings  those  were  who  dared  to  approach  his  Capitol ; but  I believe 
he  was  soon  satisfied,  as  he  fled  so  swiftly,  that  he  has  never  been 
heard  of  since.  The  whole  Cabinet  are  off,  no  one  knows  where. 
The  citizens  vow  they  will  hang  Armstrong  on  the  walls  of  the  Cap- 
itol, when  he  returns. 

We  have  been  informed  that  there  were  from  six  to  eight  thou- 
sand Americans,  one  thousand  of  whom  were  cavalry ; and  yet  it  ap- 
pears that  not  more  than  two  or  three  hundred  were  engaged.  The 
cavalry  never  drew  a sword ; and  all  the  fighting  on  our  side  was 
done  by  the  artillery,  the  marines,  and  Barney’s  men.  The  engage- 
ment lasted  perhaps  about  an  hour  ; when  the  Americans  gave  way, 
and  never  stopped  until  they  got  beyond  Georgetown,  as  they  were 
impressed  with  the  belief  that  the  British  would  pursue,  and  put  them 
all  to  death,  before  they  burned  the  public  buildings  ; instead  of 
which,  the  British  returned  quietly  to  Bladensburg,  ate  their  dinners, 
and  then  came  to  Washington  to  begin  their  work  of  destruction.  It 
was  truly  distressing  to  see  our  poor  men.  The  day  was  extremely 
hot,  and  the  roads  ankle-deep  in  dust.  Their  officei’s  knew  so  little 
of  their  duty,  and  were  so  panic-struck,  that  they  never  looked  behind 
to  see  if  they  were  pursued,  but  drove  them  on  till  several  of  them 
fainted ; and  some  have  died  in  consequence. 

Although  so  near  the  scene  of  action,  we  can  get  no  correct 
account  of  the  losses  on  either  side  ; some  say,  one  hundred  Ameri- 
cans killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  and  two  hundred  British.  You 
know  we  always  kill  double,  although  we  seldom  gain  any  thing  by  it. 

The  British  were  visited  by  our  citizens  under  various  pretences. 
Their  officers  are  said  to  be  very  elegant  men  ; their  men,  fine-looking 
fellows.  Several  persons  who  were  in  the  battle  say  they  appeared 
to  approach  the  mouths  of  our  cannon  with  as  much  coolness  as  if 
they  expected  them  to  be  loaded  with  sand.  They  are  the  same  men 
who  took  Bayonne,  and  say  they  have  not  slept  under  a roof  for 
seven  years. 


23 


178 


They  announced  their  entrance  into  the  city  on  Wednesday  night 
by  the  flames  that  ascended  from  the  Navy  Yard.*  Next  they  blew 
up  the  magazine,  and  set  fire  to  the  Point,  where  there  were  a great 
many  cannon.  Then  the  Capitol  was  seen  in  flames  ; and,  between 
eleven  and  twelve  o’clock,  the  President’s  House  and  Treasury  Office. 
They  then  retired  to  rest,  I suppose  ; and  we  saw  no  new  fires 
that  night.  Carroll’s  large  tavern  took  fire  from  the  sparks  of  the 
Capitol.  The  next  morning,  about  ten  o’clock,  the  British  set  fire 
to  the  War  Office,  saying  they  did  not  suppose  it  to  be  a public  build- 
ing the  night  before,  and  had  overlooked  it.  They  were  proceeding 
to  burn  the  Patent  Office ; when  Dr.  Thornton  saw  them,  and  begged 
them  to  spare  it,  saying  they  would  injure  individuals,  and  the  world 
generally,  by  the  destruction  of  many  valuable  models.  They  then 
burnt  two  ropewalks  in  the  city,  and,  in  the  evening,  set  fire  to  both 
ends  of  the  long  bridge  over  the  Potomac  ; but,  not  wishing  to 
destroy  the  whole,  they  raised  the  draws,  and  the  fire  did  not  extend 
beyond. 

The  Mayor  of  Georgetown,  and  several  citizens,  went  on  Thurs- 
day to  the  British  commander  to  say  that  we  did  not  intend  to  make 
resistance  (as  well  they  might  ; for  I do  not  believe  there  were 
twenty  men  in  town),  and  they  hoped  that  our  city  would  be  spared. 
Cockburn  replied,  that,  as  our  President  Avould  not  protect  us,  they 
would.  They  said  it  gave  them  pain  to  destroy  our  property ; but, 
as  long  as  we  supported  Madison,  we  must  expect  it,  as  their  nation 
was  resolved  never  to  make  peace  with  a President  who  was  so 
much  under  the  influence  of  Bonapai’te ; that  they  had  a force  on 
our  coast  of  one  hundred  and  odd  thousand  men ; and  that,  as  we 
wished  for  war,  they  would  give  us  enough  of  it.  This  was  but 
the  beginning  of  trouble  : they  should  go  from  here  to  Baltimore. 


* The  residence  of  Mrs.  Peter,  on  the  Heights  of  Georgetown,  commanded  an  extensive  view 
of  Washington  and  the  vicinity. 


179 


They  inquired  if  we  did  not  mean  to  displace  Madison,  and  said 
that  our  Minister  of  War  must  be  a fool  to  think  of  opposing  such 
regulars  as  theirs  with  raw  militia.  They  said  some  of  our  men 
fought  well,  and  kept  up  a hot  fire  for  a short  time  ; but  the 
general  who  commanded  one  wing  of  the  army  was  a coward,  who 
ran,  after  the  first  fire  : and  this  great  man,  we  find  on  inquiry, 
was  the  celebrated  Stansbury  of  Baltimore,  who  was  so  conspicuous 
in  the  mob.  They  said  they  intended  to  destroy  the  Foundery  and 
Parrot’s  ropewalk  ; but  they  left  Washington  on  Saturday  without 
ever  coming  here,  after  observing  to  some  person,  that  the  citizens  of 
Georgetown  were  respectable  people,  and  that  they  should  do  them 
no  injury.  In  every  instance,  they  respected  private  property ; and 
have  proved  themselves,  in  this  instance,  to  be  a noble  enemy.  . . . 

The  public  property  has  been  most  shamefully  neglected.  Al- 
though it  was  well  known  that  the  object  of  the  British  in  coming 
was  to  burn  the  public  edifices,  yet  not  a chair,  desk,  or  any  article, 
was  removed,  except  the  papers.  The  Mayor  of  Washington  ran  off, 
with  the  rest  of  the  dignitaries  ; and  yesterday,  after  the  enemy  had 
left  the  place,  the  vagabonds  were  committing  all  sorts  of  depreda- 
tions. It  is  said  that  the  Capitol  and  offices  may  be  easily  repaired ; 
and,  strange  to  tell,  much  of  the  furniture  of  the  Capitol  is  uninjured, 
it  being  in  a part  of  the  house  which  the  wind  did  not  set  toward. 

The  British  officers  went  to  Gales’s  office  with  an  intention  to  burn 
it ; but  the  neighbors  begged  them  to  desist,  as  all  the  houses  in  the 
block  would  be  destroyed  also.  Cockburn  replied,  it  was  not  his 
wish  to  injure  individuals,  and  that  he  would  pull  it  down.  After  it 
was  destroyed,  he  observed,  “ Now  Madison  and  his  friend  Gales  are 
in  the  same  situation.” 

27th  August,  1S14. 

After  writing  thus  far,  Mr.  Peter  and  myself  rode  into  the  city  to 
see  the  ruins.  At  the  Navy  Yard,  we  were  told  it  was  burnt  by  the 
orders  of  the  President  and  Jones.  The  reasons  assigned  were,  that 


180 


there  were  vessels  and  stores  there  the  British  might  make  use  of, 
and  therefore  it  was  best  to  burn  it  ourselves.  Others  say  the 
British,  on  their  arrival,  marched  directly  to  the  Navy  Yard,  and  set 
it  on  fire.  It  is  very  difficult  to  get  at  the  truth  with  regard  to  the 
actions  of  the  present  Cabinet.  It  is  said  that  the  bridge  over  the 
Potomac  would  not  have  been  injured  but  for  the  conduct  of  some  of 
our  wise  gentry,  who  set  fire  to  the  end  next  the  Virginia  shore ; 
and  the  British  then  remarked,  that,  as  we  were  so  fond  of  fires,  they 
would  give  us  a little  more,  and  burnt  the  end  next  the  city. 

I know  not  who  burnt  the  Navy  Yard  ; but  the  destruction  of 
public  property  there  is  shameful.  A great  number  of  timbers  that 
lay  in  the  yard,  might,  no  doubt,  have  been  saved : but  the  fire  began 
on  Wednesday  night,  and  has  been  burning  ever  since  ; and  still  I 
see  the  smoke. 

Our  Cabinet,  or  part  of  them,  came  to  the  city  last  evening.  The 
President  was  found  near  Frederictown,  and  returned  with  an  escort 
of  twenty  or  thirty  horse.  The  British  fleet  are  opposite  Alexandria  ; 
and,  should  they  presume  to  come  up,  I hear  we  are  to  give  them  a 
warm  reception.  . . . 

I fear  your  patience  will  be  exhausted  before  you  reach  the  end  of 
this  history.  With  affectionate  remen  jrance  to  Mr.  Quincy  and  your 
children, 

Sincerely  your  friend,  Martha  Peter. 


During  these  years,  the  whole  country  was  in  a continual  state  of 
alarm,  from  the  intelligence  of  conflicts  on  the  Canada  frontiers,  and 
of  the  inroads  of  the  British,  especially  on  the  coast  of  Maine.  The 
battle  between  the  “ Chesapeake  ” and  the  “ Shannon  ” took  place 
within  sight  of  the  high  grounds  near  Boston.  British  cruisers  were 
often  seen  from  the  windows  of  Mr.  Quincy’s  mansion,  near  Point 
Alderton. 


181 


In  1814,  the  vicinity  of  Boston  assumed  a military  aspect.  Troops 
from  Berkshire  were  quartered  in  Dorchester,  at  Neponset  Bridge, 
generally  considered  the  last  outpost  toward  the  enemy,  who,  it  was 
thought,  would  land  on  Mr.  Quincy’s  farm.  One  Sunday,  a report 
came  that  the  British  had  actually  landed  at  Scituate,  and  were 
marching  up  to  Boston.  The  drums  beat  to  arms ; and  the  elders, 
who  remembered  the  Bevolution,  increased  the  trepidation  of  their 
juniors  by  anecdotes  of  devastation.  These  apprehensions  were 
much  exaggerated.  The  extensive  flats  in  Quincy  Bay  were  known 
to  be  a sufficient  barrier  to  the  landing  of  an  armed  force,  except  at 
high  tide ; and  it  was  not  probable  that  an  attack  on  Boston  would 
be  made  from  Scituate.  But,  when  panic  prevails  among  the  people, 
reason  is  disregarded. 

The  anxiety  Mrs.  Quincy  underwent  is  evinced  in  a letter  to 
her  mother  : — ■ 

Quincy,  Sept.  30,  1814. 

“We  are  much  more  easy  as  it  respects  invasion,  and  have  at 
present  no  fears  of  being  obliged  to  leave  our  abode  here  till  we 
remove  to  Boston.  I do  not  look  forward  to  peace  or  rest  beyond 
this  winter,  if  the  war  continues ; but  we  must  be  thankful  for  this 
respite,  and  try  to  fill  it  up  with  every  good  feeling,  affection,  and 
work  that  can  be  crowded  into  it.” 

Mrs.  Quincy  fulfilled  these  good  intentions,  and  endeavored, 
during  the  ensuing  winter,  to  give  her  family  and  friends  all  the 
pleasure  and  improvement  in  her  power.  An  extension  of  hostilities 
was  anticipated  with  the  return  of  spring,  and  anxiety  weighed  hea- 
vily on  every  mind. 

On  the  morning  of  the  14th  of  February,  1815,  when  the  bells 
began  to  ring,  it  was  supposed  to  be  an  alarm  of  fire.  That  peace 
was  the  joyful  intelligence  they  proclaimed,  was  at  first  doubted;  but 
inquiry  soon  proved  that  the  announcement  was  correct.  The  whole 


182 


town  was  soon  in  a tumult  of  rejoicing.  The  whole  population 
were  abroad,  all  classes  congratulating  each  other  on  the  happy 
tidings.  Almost  every  house  displayed  a flag.  Drums  beat;  can- 
non fired  ; the  military  were  in  motion.  Sailors  in  large  sleds, 
each  drawn  by  fifteen  horses,  — the  word  “ Peace  ” in  capitals  on 
the  hat  of  the  foremost  man,  — greeted  every  one  with  loud  huz- 
zas. The  joy  and  exultation  were  in  proportion  to  the  previous  fear 
and  despondency.  It  was  a day  never  to  be  forgotten.  The  subse- 
quent official  celebration,  of  which  Mr.  Quincy  was  the  chief  director  ; 
a general  illumination  of  all  the  public,  and  many  of  the  private,  edi- 
fices ; and  a public  ball,  — were  enjoyed  with  enthusiasm. 

In  May,  Mrs.  Quincy  returned  to  her  favorite  residence,  contrast- 
ing with  gratitude  the  tranquillity  of  the  present  with  the  anxiety  of 
the  past. 


C II  A P T E Pv  VIII. 


In  1813,  Mrs.  Quincy  formed  a friendship,  which  continued  through 
life,  with  Judge  Yanderkemp  of  Trenton,  New  York,  who  came  to 
Quincy  on  a visit  to  President  Adams,  with  whom  he  had  been 
acquainted  in  Holland. 

Francis  Adrian  Yanderkemp  was  born  at  Campen,  in  the  Nether- 
lands, in  1752.  After  attaining  eminence  as  a military  officer,  a 
scholar,  and  a theologian,  his  patriotic  efforts  in  the  support  of  the 
liberties  of  his  country  rendered  him  obnoxious  to  the  ruling  powers  ; 
and,  in  1788,  he  emigrated  to  the  United  States  of  America  with  his 
family.  He  brought  letters  from  Lafayette  to  General  Washington, 
visited  him  at  Mount  Yernon,  and  was  then  advised  to  establish  him- 
self among  his  countrymen  in  New  York.  He  resided  at  Trenton, 
Oneida  County,  in  that  State  ; and  was  employed  by  Governor  De- 
Witt  Clinton  to  translate  twenty-five  volumes  folio  of  ancient  Dutch 
records,  preserved  in  the  archives  of  New  York.  The  German 
descent  of  Mrs.  Quincy  interested  him ; and  he  requested  an  account 
of  her  family,  to  send  to  Professor  Kemper  of  Leyden,  with  whom 
he  was  in  correspondence.* 

On  the  13th  of  September,  1815,  the  three  daughters  of  Josiah 
Quincy  of  Braintree,  — Mrs.  Storer,  Mrs.  Guild,  and  Mrs.  Packard,  — 


See  Appendix  V. 


184 


each  accompanied  by  representatives  of  their  children  and  families ; 
with  his  intimate  friends  President  and  Mrs.  Adams,  and  Dr.  Tufts 
of  Weymouth,  — met  at  the  mansion  formerly  his  residence.  His 
portrait  by  Copley,  which  hung  in  the  dining-room,  above  the  head 
of  his  grandson,  the  heir  of  his  estate,  appeared,  to  the  company 
assembled  round  the  table,  to  regard  them  with  an  animated  expres- 
sion of  benignity ; and  the  interest  of  the  occasion  was  appreciated 
by  all  present. 

On  the  22d  of  September,  1815,  a classmate  of  Mr.  Quincy,  Paul 
Trapier,  Esq.,  of  Charleston,  S.C.,  and  a gay  party  of  their  contempo- 
raries, dined  with  him.  On  the  next  day,  the  memorable  gale  of 
September,  1815,  occurred.  The  force  of  the  tempest  was  severely 
felt  at  Quincy.  Trees  were  uprooted,  vessels  stranded  on  the  shore, 
and  buildings  injured.  The  ocean  resembled  a boiling  caldron,  from 
which  steam  was  escaping.  The  wind  converted  the  surface  of  the 
waves  into  spray,  which,  drifting  for  many  miles  over  the  country, 
blasted  vegetation  and  extinguished  verdure  during  that  autumn. 

The  previous  spring,  Mr.  Quincy  had  relinquished  the  temporary 
residence  of  his  family  on  Oliver  Street,  Fort  Hill,  and  taken  on  lease 
the  house  of  Gorham  Parsons,  Esq.,  in  Summer  Street.  In  November 
they  took  possession  of  this  mansion,  then  one  of  the  most  eligible 
and  well  finished  in  Boston ; and,  during  five  successive  winters, 
they  participated  in  all  that  was  valuable  and  interesting  in  the 
society  of  that  period.  The  friendships  formed  during  these  years 
with  John  Pickering,  Nathaniel  Bowditch,  and  Washington  Allston, 
were  highly  appreciated  and  valued  through  life.  At  this  time,  Mrs. 
Quincy  also  acquired  another  gifted  friend  in  Eloise  R.  Payne.  In 
force  and  beauty  of  diction,  passages  in  her  writings  recall  those  of 
De  Stael ; and  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  they  have  not  been  included 
in  the  literature  of  America. 

The  Rev.  Henry  Colman  of  Hingham  was  at  this  time  a frequent 
visitor  at  the  residence  of  Mr.  Quincy,  which  was  the  constant  resort 


185 


of  their  numerous  circle  of  relations,  friends,  and  acquaintances.  In 
September,  1816,  Hon.  N.  Vandyke  and  Hon.  James  M.  Broome, 
senators,  of  Delaware,  with  whom  Mr.  Quincy  had  been  intimate  at 
Washington,  passed  some  days  at  Quincy.  A party  invited  to  meet 
them  at  dinner  comprised  William  Sullivan,  J.  Callender,  William 
Tudor,  F.  C.  Gray,  Commodore  M'Donough,  and  other  guests.  In 
the  autumn,  Mrs.  Quincy  had  the  pleasure  of  visiting  her  friends  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  S.  Iligginson  and  Miss  Storrow  at  Bolton ; and  at  Harvard 
she  was  again  welcomed  by  Mr.  Bromfield. 

During  the  visit  of  President  Monroe  to  Boston,  in  1817,  he  dined 
at  Quincy,  on  the  7th  of  July,  with  President  Adams;  who,  in  the 
afternoon,  accompanied  him  to  visit  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quincy,  attended  by 
Commodore  Perry  and  General  Swift,  and  followed  by  the  rest  of  the 
company, — Governor  Brooks  and  his  aids,  Lieutenant-Governor  Phil- 
lips, H.  G.  Otis,  James  Lloyd,  President  Kirkland,  Commodore  Bain- 
bridge,  General  Sumner,  Henry  Colman,  and  many  others.  It  was 
very  interesting  to  see  Mr.  Adams  with  one  of  his  successors  in  the 
Presidency  of  the  United  States  ; and,  when  Mr.  Monroe  departed,  he 
bade  him  adieu  with  great  sensibility.  The  weather  was  fine,  the 
country  beautiful.  Mr.  Monroe  walked  over  the  farm,  and  expressed 
an  interest  in  agricultural  improvements. 

Another  incident  of  that  season  was  the  return  of  John  Quincy 
Adams,  after  an  absence  of  eight  years  at  the  Russian  and  British 
courts.  The  day  after  his  arrival,  he  came  with  his  father  to  visit 
Mrs.  Quincy.  The  happiness  of  this  re-union  Mr.  Adams  immediately 
wished  to  share  with  his  friends.  His  son  participated  in  these  sen- 
timents, and  conversed  with  animation  on  the  politics  of  Europe. 
From  this  time,  through  successive  years,  the  privilege  of  his  society 
and  conversation  was  frequently  enjoyed. 

In  September,  1818,  Mrs.  Quincy,  accompanied  by  her  niece 
Sophia  Morton,  and  her  eldest  daughters,  visited  her  sister  Margaret, 
who,  in  1815,  had  married  D.  R.  Bogert,  Esq.,  of  Beekman,  Dutchess 

24 


186 


County,  New  York.  Travelling  in  her  carriage,  after  leaving  Hart- 
ford, Mrs.  Quincy  followed  the  course  of  the  beautiful  Farmington 
River  toward  Litchfield.  Her  friend  Mr.  Wolcott,  then  Governor  of 
Connecticut,  on  hearing  of  her  arrival,  urged  her  to  leave  the  hotel 
for  his  mansion.  His  hospitality  was  declined,  with  a promise  to 
breakfast  with  him  the  next  morning.  Meeting  Mrs.  Quincy  at  the 
door  of  his  residence,  he  led  her  with  great  emotion  into  his  library 
to  the  portrait  of  his  wife,  her  early  and  much-loved  friend.  This 
interview  was  mutually  interesting. 

After  traversing  rude  scenery,  and  crossing  the  Fishkill  Moun- 
tain, the  travellers  descended  into  the  fertile  valleys  of  Dutchess 
County  ; and,  on  the  fifth  day  of  their  journey,  were  welcomed  by  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Bogert,  who  resided  in  an  antique  Dutch  farm-house  sur- 
rounded by  fine  trees  and  cultivated  fields,  the  declivity  of  the 
neighboring  mountain  covered  by  a forest  composed  of  large  trees 
clear  of  underbrush. 

Mrs.  Morton,  at  the  age  of  seventy-nine,  had  come  from  New  York 
to  visit  Mrs.  Bogert  and  meet  Mrs.  Quincy  and  her  children.  After 
she  had  arrived  at  Beekman,  the  names  of  Flagler  and  Brill  among 
the  inhabitants  of  the  town,  and  of  the  local  divisions  of  the  county, 
sounded  familiar;  returning  to  her  memory  like  a long- forgotten 
dream.  On  inquiry,  she  learned  that,  by  the  contingencies  of  life, 
she  had  accidentally  returned,  after  an  absence  of  sixty-nine  years,  to 
the  place  where  her  parents  had  resided,  on  the  Livingston  Patent, 
and  from  which  they  had  removed  to  New  Brunswick  in  1749.  Some 
aged  descendants  of  the  neighbors  of  Mr.  Kemper  were  found,  who 
remembered  him  and  his  family.  One  of  them,  Mr.  Brill,  who  recol- 
lected seeing  Mrs.  Morton  as  a child  riding  with  her  father  on  horse- 
back, guided  her  to  the  place  where  their  house  had  stood,  and 
showed  her  the  spring  from  which  they  used  to  drink. 

The  country  which  she  had  left  a wilderness,  in  which  no  lan- 
guage but  the  German  was  spoken  or  understood,  was  now  covered 


187 


with  highly  cultivated  farms,  excellent  houses  and  roads,  with 
churches,  schools,  and  all  the  accommodations  of  civilized  life.  Other 
changes  were  yet  more  remarkable.  Born  in  the  dominions  of  a Ger- 
man prince,  and  having  left  the  Livingston  Patent  a subject  of  the 
King  of  Great  Britain,  she  returned  there  with  her  children  and 
grandchildren,  citizens  of  the  United  States  of  America.  Mrs.  Quincy 
enjoyed  the  days  passed  in  Dutchess  County.  The  habits,  manners, 
and  superstitions  of  the  inhabitants,  inherited  from  their  Dutch  ances- 
tors, since  delineated  by  Irving,  were  strongly  contrasted  with  those 
of  New  England,  and  gave  a novel  and  romantic  character  to  the 
beautiful  valleys  extending  among  picturesque  highlands  tinged 
with  autumnal  hues.  Her  nephew,  G.  L.  Morton,  met  the  party  at 
Fishkill ; and,  under  his  guidance,  they  passed  twelve  miles  down 
the  Hudson  in  a row-boat  to  West  Point.  There  they  were  received 
by  relatives  among  the  Cadets,  who  escorted  them  to  the  ruins  of 
Fort  Putnam,  and  at  midnight  to  the  steamboat,  which  then,  a 
novelty  on  the  Hudson,  touched  at  West  Point  on  its  voyage  of 
twenty-four  hours  from  Albany  to  New  York.  After  remaining  a 
week  in  that  city,  the  guest  of  General  Morton  and  his  family  (who 
resided  in  Broadway,  in  a spacious  mansion  at  the  corner  of  Leonard 
Street),  Mrs.  Quincy  pursued  the  same  route  along  the  banks  of  the 
Hudson,  and  over  a mountain-road,  since  described  by  Cooper  in 
“ The  Spy ; ” and,  on  her  return  home  from  Beekman,  visited  Mr. 
Wadsworth’s  seat  on  Talcot  Mountain. 

On  the  12th  of  September,  two  days  before  Mrs.  Quincy  left  home 
to  visit  her  sister,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Adams  and  their  family,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  J.  Q.  Adams,  and  many  other  friends,  formed  a gay  and  animated 
party  at  her  house.  On  her  return,  Mrs.  Adams  was  dangerously 
ill;  and  her  death,  on  the  28th  of  October,  was  deeply  felt  by  all 
around  her.  Every  one  had  lost  a most  valuable  friend ; many,  a 
benefactress. 

After  this  severe  deprivation,  Mr.  Adams  sought  the  society  of 


188 


Mrs.  Quincy  and  her  family  yet  more  frequently.  In  her  cultivated 
mind,  and  knowledge  of  public  men  and  political  affairs,  he  found  the 
companionship  of  an  associate  united  toward  him  with  a filial  affec- 
tion. 

In  the  autumn  of  1818,  Colonel  Trumbull  exhibited  in  Faneuil  Hall 
his  painting  of  the  “ Declaration  of  Independence,”  and  urged  Mr. 
Adams  to  visit  it.  This  request,  at  first  positively  refused,  was 
granted  on  condition  that  Mrs.  Quincy  would  accompany  him.  Ac- 
cordingly, on  the  5th  of  November,  Mr.  Adams  drove  into  Boston, 
and,  calling  for  his  friend,  proceeded  to  Faneuil  Hall,  where  many 
persons  had  assembled  in  the  expectation  of  this  visit.  He  approved 
the  picture  ; and,  pointing  to  the  door  next  the  chair  of  Hancock, 
said,  “ There,  that  is  the  door  out  of  which  Washington  rushed  when 
I first  alluded  to  him  as  the  man  best  qualified  for  Commander-in-Chief 
of  the  American  Army.”  Mr.  Adams  passed  the  rest  of  the  day  at 
Mr.  Quincy’s  residence  in  Summer  Street,  and  dined  with  a party 
of  friends  invited  to  meet  him. 

In  1820,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quincy  removed  from  Summer  Street; 
Mr.  Phillips  having  requested  his  nephew  to  accept  of  the  house  No.  1, 
Hamilton  Place,  for  his  residence.  In  November  they  took  posses- 
sion of  this  pleasant  abode,  which  commanded  a view  of  the  malls  and 
Common ; and  invited  Mrs.  Morton,  then  in  her  eighty-second  year,  to 
reside  with  them. 

One  morning  the  succeeding  summer,  when  Mr.  Adams  walked 
from  his  residence  to  bring  Mrs.  Quincy  the  “ Life  of  Lord  Bussell,” 
the  conversation  turned  on  the  American  Revolution;  and  he  was  asked 
why  so  little  was  said  of  Mr.  Dickenson,  the  author  of  “ The  Farmer’s 
Letters,”  in  the  subsequent  history  of  that  period.  Mr.  Adams 
replied,  “ Dickenson  became  discouraged,  and,  at  first,  opposed  the 
Declaration  of  Independence.  He  gave  us  a great  deal  of  trouble. 
His  wife  and  mother  were  Quakers ; and  they  constantly  told  him 
that  he  was  ruining  himself  and  his  country  by  the  measures  he  was 


189 


advocating.  If  I had  had  such  a wife  and  mother,  I should  have  been 
very  unhappy ; for  I would  have  died  rather  than  not  have  pursued 
the  course  I did.  One  day,  in  Congress,  Mifflin,  a relation  of  Mr. 
Dickenson,  had  a dispute  with  him.  Dickenson  said  in  the  course 
of  a speech,  1 that,  in  a team  of  many  horses,  it  was  requisite  to  rein 
in  the  most  forward  and  violent,  and  encourage  the  slow  and  cautious.’ 
Mifflin  rose,  and  said,  ‘Not  so,  Mr.  President:  you  had  better  knock 
the  dull  and  lazy  horses  on  the  head,  and  put  them  out  of  the  team ; 
and  it  will  go  on  much  better  without  them,  even  if  the  number  is 
diminished.’  The  sentiments  of  the  ladies  of  Dickenson’s  family 
were  probably  the  cause  of  his  indecision.  He  was  a man  of  immense 
fortune,  and  founded  a college  in  Pennsylvania.”  * 

John  Halkett,  Esq.,  of  England,  a man  of  uncommon  intelligence 
and  cultivation,  brought  letters  to  Mr.  Quincy  in  1822.  Mr.  Halkett 
married  a sister  of  the  Earl  of  Selkirk ; and  was,  for  many  years, 
a leading  member  of  the  Hudson-Bay  Company.  A promontory  of 
America,  on  the  shore  of  the  Arctic  Ocean,  is  named,  in  his  honor, 
Cape  Halkett.  He  travelled  extensively  in  the  United  States  and  in 
the  British  Provinces  ; and,  on  his  return,  coasted  along  the  shores  of 
Lakes  Huron  and  Superior,  and  crossed  the  wilderness  to  Hudson’s 
Bay,  whence  he  embarked  for  Europe. f 

Chancellor  Kent,  John  Quincy  Adams,  Judge  Prescott,  Mr.  Web- 
ster, and  other  eminent  men,  dined  with  Mr.  Quincy  in  August,  1823. 
The  conversation  turned  on  literary  subjects  ; and  the  character  and 
merits  of  Lord  Bacon  and  Pope,  and  other  celebrated  authors,  were 
discussed.  In  the  summer  of  1824,  Mrs.  Quincy  made  a tour  to  Niagara 
in  her  carriage, with  two  of  her  daughters;  visiting  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bogert 


* The  notices  of  conversations  given  in  these  pages  are  extracted  from  the  diary  of  the 
Editor. 

f Mr.  Halkett  published  a work  on  the  Indians  of  North  America,  London,  1S25;  and  in 
return  for  the  likenesses  of  Osage  chiefs,  drawn  for  him  by  the  Editor,  presented  her  wTith  two 
original  drawings  in  water-color  by  J.  Varley,  which  were  highly  prized  by  Mrs.  Quincj7. 


190 


at  Ballston,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wadsworth  at  Geneseo.  Her  eldest  son 
met  her  at  Buffalo  to  attend  her  to  view  the  grand  scenery  around 
the  Falls  of  Niagara  and  to  Canada. 

In  August,  Mr.  Quincy,  as  Mayor  of  Boston,  had  the  privilege  of 
receiving  Lafayette,  and  passing  with  him  through  the  assembled 
population.  The  American  standard  was  raised  for  the  first  time 
on  the  cupola  of  the  State  House,  a royal  salute  was  fired,  and  all 
the  bells  in  the  city  were  rung.  After  a long  progress  through  the 
city,  when  the  barouche  paused  opposite  Hamilton  Place,  a dense 
crowd  extended  in  all  directions ; and  the  populace,  climbing  up  on 
the  wheels  of  the  carriage,  obstructed  its  passage  ; until,  his  attend- 
ants forcing  their  way  onwards,  Lafayette  passed  before  the  children 
of  the  public  schools  assembled  on  the  Common,  and  arrived  at  the 
mansion  provided  for  his  residence  by  the  city  authorities,  at  the  cor- 
ner of  Park  and  Beacon  Streets. 

Lafayette  asserted  that  the  inhabitants  of  Boston  who  greeted 
him  on  his  arrival,  compared  with  the  crowds  of  European  cities, 
appeared  to  him  like  a picked  population  out  of  the  whole  human 
race.  No  accident  marred  a day  remembered  with  pleasure  by  every 
individual  who  enjoyed  it. 

In  the  evening,  Lafayette  came  to  Mr.  Quincy’s  residence  with  his 
suite.  His  reception  by  Mrs.  Quincy  was  gracefully  characteristic. 
Her  words  cannot  now  be  recalled  ; but  her  friend  Ellis  Gray  Loring, 
after  the  lapse  of  thirty  years,  said  he  accounted  it  one  of  the  felici- 
ties of  his  life  that  he  witnessed  this  interview,  and  heard  her  elegant 
and  appropriate  welcome  to  Lafayette. 

The  scene  on  Commencement  Day  at  Cambridge  was  also  most 
interesting.  The  church  was  crowded  with  the  statesmen,  politicians, 
and  literati  of  the  country,  and  the  beauty  and  fashion  of  the  vicinity  ; 
and  Lafayette,  standing  in  the  centre,  was  hailed  by  reiterated  shouts 
of  applause  and  welcome.  The  same  tributes  were  repeated  the  next 
day  at  the  Phi-Beta  celebration.  The  services,  the  sufferings,  the 


191 


return,  of  Lafayette,  illustrated  by  the  eloquence  of  Everett,  deeply 
affected  the  audience  ; and  the  enthusiasm  of  all  present  reached  the 
culminating  point. 

During  the  whole  of  Lafayette’s  visit  to  Boston,  public  celebrations 
and  private  parties  engaged  every  day  and  evening.  Among  the 
numerous  foreigners  and  visitors  from  all  parts  of  the  Union  were 
many  eminent  personages,  whose  presence  gave  variety  and  additional 
interest  to  the  entertainments  given  in  honor  of  Lafayette,  who 
seemed  to  enjoy  every  moment ; manifesting  in  his  conversation  and 
deportment  characteristic  tact,  and  presence  of  mind.  One  evening, 
at  a party,  when  the  conversation  turned  on  the  war  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, Mrs.  Quincy  said,  “ The  American  cockade  was  black  and  white  ; 
was  it  not,  General?”  — “Yes,  madam,”  replied  Lafayette:  “it  was 
black  at  first ; but,  when  the  French  army  came  over  and  joined  us, 
we  added  the  white  in  compliment  to  them.” 

On  Sunday,  Aug.  29,  Lafayette,  accompanied  by  his  son  G.  W. 
Lafayette  and  M.  Levasseur,  visited  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quincy  at  their 
country  residence.  Among  their  family  assembled  to  welcome  him 
were  Mrs.  Morton,  eighty-five,  and  Mrs.  Storer,  eighty-eight  years 
of  age.  To  them  the  interview  was  very  affecting;  for  his  presence 
recalled  the  scenes  and  the  trials  of  the  war  of  the  Revolution.  Ho 
dined  with  President  Adams ; and,  at  his  residence,  received  the 
inhabitants  of  the  vicinity  in  the  afternoon. 

After  Lafayette  returned  to  New  York,  he  wrote  to  Mr.  Quincy,  on 
the  20th  of  September,  to  introduce  Colonel  Huger : in  speaking  of 
whom,  during  his  visit,  he  had  said,  “ I never  saw  Huger  but  for  ten 
minutes  ; but,  for  ten  years,  his  countenance  was  never  absent  from 
my  mind.”  On  the  2d  of  October,  a party,  consisting  chiefly  of  mem- 
bers of  the  Common  Council  of  Boston,  dined  with  Mr.  Quincy;  and 
at  the  name  of  Colonel  Huger,  associated  with  that  of  Lafayette, 
every  countenance  expressed  animated  intei’est.  Mrs.  Quincy,  on 
receiving  him,  said,  “We  all  are  under  obligations  to  you,  Colonel 


192 


Huger,  for  your  attempt  to  rescue  Lafayette  from  Olmutz.” — “I  only 
did  my  duty,  madam,”  was  his  reply.  “ I considered  myself  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  young  men  of  America,  and  acted  accordingly.  If  I 
have  deserved  their  approbation,  it  is  a full  reward.” 

Colonel  Huger,  in  1821,  was  about  fifty-one  years  of  age,  — manly 
and  polished  in  his  personal  appearance  and  address,  his  counte- 
nance and  manner  indicative  of  self-command.  His  conversation 
marked  him  as  a man  of  honor  and  integrity,  extensive  information, 
and  knowledge  of  the  world ; evincing  singular  modesty  respecting 
his  own  claims  and  opinions,  and  great  deference  for  those  of  others. 
In  contradicting  a statement  in  the  newspapers,  that  he  was  in  early 
life  acquainted  with  Lafayette  in  America,  he  said,  “ When  Lafay- 
ette first  arrived  on  the  coast  of  Carolina,  accompanied  by  the  Baron 
de  Kalb  and  several  officers,  they  were  pursued  by  British  cruisers, 
and  were  very  anxious  to  land.  My  father  then  resided  on  North 
Island  ; and  two  of  his  negroes,  being  out  in  a boat  late  in  the 
evening,  were  boarded  by  another  boat  containing  Lafayette  and 
the  Baron  de  Kalb,  and  were  induced  to  pilot  them  to  my  father’s 
house.  As  the  depredations  of  British  vessels  caused  great  alarm, 
doors  and  windows  were  barred  against  these  officers ; but,  when 
they  succeeded  in  making  themselves  known,  they  were  hospitably 
received,  and  the  next  day  attended  to  Charleston,  on  their  way  to 
join  the  American  Army.  I was  at  that  time  a child  of  three  years 
old,  and  have  no  recollection  of  these  circumstances  except  from 
hearing  them  often  mentioned  by  my  family.” 

The  members  of  the  City  Government  present  gave  Colonel  Huger 
a pressing  invitation  to  the  public  dinner  of  the  Mechanic  Association  ; 
which  he  declined,  to  their  great  regret. 

The  next  day,  Colonel  Huger  came  to  Quincy  alone,  and  passed 
the  day.  After  dinner,  when  the  family  were  seated  round  the 
table,  and  no  one  else  present,  he  described,  at  the  request  of  Mrs. 
Quincy,  his  attempt  to  liberate  Lafayette. 


193 


“In  1794,”  said  Colonel  Huger,  “Dr.  Bollman  was  employed  by 
the  friends  of  Lafayette  to  endeavor  to  attempt  his  rescue.  After  a 
long  search,  he  discovered  that  some  prisoners  of  State  were  at 
Olmutz.  He  went  there ; introduced  himself  to  the  surgeon  of  the 
place  as  a physician  travelling  for  professional  improvement ; in- 
quired, as  if  from  idle  curiosity,  if  there  were  prisoners  in  the  castle  ; 
and  expressed  no  surprise  when  told  that  Lafayette  was  one  of  them. 
To  avoid  suspicion,  he  took  several  journeys  from  Olmutz,  as  if  his 
design  was  to  see  the  country.  One  day,  hearing  Lafayette  was  ill, 
he  expressed  a wish  to  lend  him,  for  his  amusement,  some  French 
books  he  had  with  him.  The  surgeon  obtained  permission  from  the 
commander  of  the  garrison,  provided  the  book  was  submitted  to  his 
inspection.  A book  was  then  given  to  Lafayette,  in  which  Bollman 
had  written  words  in  the  margin,  which,  put  together,  made  the 
following  sentence  : ‘ If  you  will  peruse  this  book  with  as  much  care 

as  that  lent  Madame  de at  Magdeburg,  you  will  receive  equal 

satisfaction.’  The  lady  referred  to  had  received  intelligence  from 
her  friends,  written  in  lemon-juice  on  the  blank  leaves  of  a book. 
Lafayette  understood  the  allusion,  held  the  book  to  the  fire,  obtained 
information  of  the  plans  of  Bollman,  and,  after  some  delay  to  avoid 
suspicion,  returned  it  with  his  thanks.  Bollman  discerned  the  words 
1 Mettez  le  au  feu  ’ in  the  margin ; and,  obeying  the  direction,  found 
that  he  was  understood  and  answered.  Lafayette  could  only  say,  that 
a promise  had  been  given  that  he  should  drive  every  day  for  his 
health,  and  arranged  a signal  by  which  he  would  identify  himself. 
The  mode  of  effecting  his  escape  was  left  to  the  ingenuity  and 
courage  of  Bollman.  He  formed  a plan,  but  needed  an  assistant. 
Taking  leave  of  the  surgeon  as  if  he  did  not  mean  to  return,  he 
decided  to  go  to  Vienna.  There  he  met  me  in  a hotel,  and  com- 
municated his  design ; and,  as  the  representative  of  my  country- 
men, I felt  it  my  duty  to  assist  him  to  the  utmost  of  my  power. 
We  hired  a post  - chaise  and  a servant,  with  two  saddle  - horses, 

25 


194 


apparently  to  vary  our  mode  of  travelling.  Arrived  at  Olmutz 
(two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  Vienna),  we  sent  our  servant  with 
the  post-chaise  on  to  Hoff1,  a town  twenty-five  miles  distant,  on  the 
road  we  wished  to  take.  After  dinner,  we  mounted  our  horses  as  if 
to  follow  our  carriage ; but,  in  reality,  to  meet  Lafayette.  It  was 
the  hour  he  usually  was  allowed  to  drive.  Our  pistols  were  not 
loaded,  and  we  took  no  other  arms ; as  we  had  no  intention  to 
commit  murder,  even  to  effect  our  purpose. 

“ Near  the  walls  of  the  castle,  we  saw  in  an  open  carriage  a gen- 
tleman in  a blue  surtout,  with  an  officer  beside  him,  and  an  armed 
soldier  mounted  behind.  Our  attention  was  fixed  upon  him ; and,  as 
we  approached,  he  gave  the  signal  agreed  on,  — raising  his  hat,  and 
wiping  his  forehead  with  his  handkerchief.  That  moment,  and  my 
sensations  on  receiving  this  assurance  that  he  was  Lafayette,  will 
never  be  effaced  from  my  remembrance.  We  bowed  slightly  as  we 
passed,  in  token  of  recognition,  and  rode  on  toward  the  castle ; but 
soon  turned,  and  followed  the  carriage  until  it  reached  the  open  coun- 
try. Lafayette  alighted,  under  pretence  of  walking  for  exercise  ; and 
drew  the  officer,  whose  arm  he  held,  toward  a wood.  At  some  dis- 
tance from  the  high  road,  he  laid  his  hand  on  the  hilt  of  the  officer’s 
sword ; and,  the  instant  he  drew  it,  we  rode  up  to  his  assistance.  The 
officer  took  the  alarm,  called  to  the  soldier  waiting  with  the  carriage 
to  go  for  aid  to  the  citadel,  and  grasped  his  sword  with  both  hands. 
He  received  a slight  cut  in  the  struggle  that  ensued,  and  Lafayette’s 
dress  was  stained  with  his  blood.  One  of  our  horses,  frightened  at 
the  sun  gleaming  on  the  sword,  ran  away.  Lafayette,  whom  the 
officer  succeeded  in  throwing  down  and  seizing  by  the  collar,  ex- 
claimed, ‘ II  m’etrangle.’  We  instantly  rescued  him,  and  threw  the 
officer  to  the  ground,  who  made  a furious  resistance.  Lafayette  was 
now  free.  I called  to  him  to  mount  my  horse,  and  said,  ‘ Go  to  Hoff.’ 
He  rode  slowly  away,  but  soon  returned  to  say  that  he  could  not  think 
of  leaving  us  in  such  a situation,  and  to  ask  if  he  could  give  us  assist- 


195 


ance.  We  replied  in  the  negative,  entreating  him  to  depart,  as  the 
soldier  had  alarmed  the  garrison,  and  not  a moment  was  to  be  lost. 
With  great  reluctance,  he  rode  away.  We  then  released  the  officer, 
and  he  ran  to  the  castle.  I succeeded  in  catching  Bollman’s  horse, 
and  mounted  him.  He  got  on  behind  me,  and  we  attempted  to 
follow  Lafayette ; but  the  horse  not  being  accustomed  to  carry  two 
persons,  as  the  one  had  been  which  circumstances  had  obliged  us  to 
give  Lafayette,  soon  reared,  and  threw  Bollman.  Finding  it  impossi- 
ble to  proceed  in  this  manner,  I insisted  on  Bollman’s  taking  the 
horse  to  follow  Lafayette.  At  first,  he  refused;  but,  on  my  urging 
that  he  could  be  of  no  use  to  me,  and,  from  my  ignorance  of  the 
German  language,  was  best  qualified  to  assist  Lafayette,  he  very 
unwillingly  departed. 

“ Left  alone,  with  the  knowledge  that  the  whole  country  would  be 
roused  to  pursue  us,  my  situation  was  indeed  rather  forlorn.  How- 
ever, I determined  to  endeavor  to  escape,  and  directed  my  course 
toward  a convent  on  a hill  before  me.  I had  a high  road  to  cross. 
A loaded  wagon  was  passing ; and  the  wagoner  paused,  and  looked 
at  me  suspiciously : but,  as  I slackened  my  pace  and  showed  no 
alarm,  he  suffered  me  to  proceed.  I heard  voices  behind  me,  as  I 
ascended  the  hill ; and,  finding  it  impossible  to  reach  the  convent, 
tried  hard  to  gain  a wood  which  grew  half  way  down  the  hill.  I 
succeeded  just  as  my  pursuers  came  up,  and  hid  behind  one  of  the 
largest  trees  : intending  to  throw  the  foremost  horseman  to  the  ground, 
by  springing  suddenly  upon  him ; then  to  mount  his  horse,  and  endea- 
vor to  escape.  At  that  moment,  I felt  as  if  I would  give  the  world  to 
be  again  on  horseback.  But  my  pursuers  were  too  numerous  : I was 
instantly  sui-rounded,  and  carried  to  the  prison  of  Olmutz.” 

With  characteristic  delicacy,  Colonel  Huger  passed  slightly  over 
the  sufferings  he  underwent;  and,  when  closely  questioned,  only  said, 
“ For  ten  days  I was  treated  with  the  utmost  rigor ; but  afterwards 
had  not  much  to  complain  of,  except  the  loss  of  my  liberty.”  From 


196 


another  source,  his  friends  learned  that  “ he  was  chained  to  the  floor, 
in  a small  arched  dungeon  about  six  feet  by  eight,  without  light,  and 
with  only  bread  and  water  for  food ; and  once  in  six  hours,  by  day 
and  by  night,  the  guard  entered,  and  with  a lamp  examined  each  brick 
in  his  cell  and  each  link  in  his  chain.  His  inquiries  concerning 
Lafayette  and  Bollman  received  no  answer ; and  his  earnest  request 
to  be  permitted  to  send  to  his  mother  in  America  merely  the  words, 
‘ I am  alive,’  signed  with  his  name,  received  a rude  refusal.”  * 

In  continuing  his  narrative,  Colonel  Huger  said,  “ When  I was 
removed  from  the  first  dungeon,  I discovered  that  Bollman  was  con. 
fined  in  the  next  room.  We  soon  contrived  to  hold  communication, 
and  then  persuaded  our  jailer  to  let  us  meet.  From  him  I learned 
that  Lafayette  was  also  a prisoner.  He  misunderstood  my  direction 
to  go  to  Holf.  As  I spoke  in  English,  he  thought  I merely  said,  ‘ Go 
off.’  If  I had  spoken  in  French,  and  said,  ‘ Allez  a Hoff,’  he  probably 
would  have  understood  me,  and  known  how  to  direct  his  course. 
This  slight  mistake  defeated  our  whole  plan.  Lafayette  took  another 
road ; and,  as  his  clothes  were  stained  with  blood,  was  arrested  at  the 
village  of  Jagersdorff,  as  a suspicious-looking  person.  There  he  was 
recognized,  and  sent  back  to  his  prison.  Bollman,  not  finding  La- 
fayette at  Hoff,  lingered  about  the  frontier,  in  the  hope  of  meeting 
him,  till  the  next  day,  when  he  was  also  arrested,  and  sent  to  the 
citadel.  Thus  we  were  all  three  brought  separately  to  Olmutz,  and 
imprisoned  without  any  knowledge  of  each  other’s  fate. 

“ When  the  trial  of  Bollman  and  myself  came  on,  a young  man, 
employed  as  our  interpreter,  became  deeply  interested  in  our  fate, 
and  made  our  story  known  to  Count  Metrowsky,  a nobleman  living 
near  Olmutz;  who,  touched  by  the  account  given  of  our  enterprise, 
gave  our  young  friend  the  use  of  his  purse  to  any  amount.  He 
succeeded  so  well  in  bribing  the  judges  and  officers  of  the  tribunal, 


Outlines  of  the  Life  of  General  Lafayette,  by  Professor  Ticknor,  1825,  p.  40. 


197 


that,  after  a confinement  of  eight  months,  we  were  only  sentenced  to 
a fortnight’s  imprisonment,  and  then  released. 

“ We  set  off  instantly  for  Hamburg,  and  had  just  cleared  the 
Austrian  frontier  when  an  order  arrived  from  Vienna  for  a new  trial, 
which  would  probably  have  eventuated  in  a sentence  of  death  or 
perpetual  imprisonment.  I embarked  for  America,  and  owe  to  Count 
Metrowsky  and  my  young  German  friend  all  the  happiness  I have 
since  enjoyed  in  my  native  country. 

“ Soon  after  my  return,  I married  the  daughter  of  T.  Pinckney, 
Esq. ; and  bought  an  estate  on  the  high  hills  of  -Santee,  a hundred 
miles  from  Charleston.  My  wife,  though  very  young,  accustomed  to 
gay  society,  and  even  to  the  splendor  of  a court,  — her  father  having 
been  minister  to  England,  — cheerfully  acceded  to  my  plan,  and 
found  her  happiness  in  the  society  of  her  family.  There  I Ave 
since  resided ; engaged  in  the  care  of  my  farm,  and  in  educating  a 
family  of  eleven  children.  These  are  the  duties  in  which  I have 
been  engaged. 

“ Lafayette  remained  in  the  prison  of  Olmutz  three  years  after  the 
release  of  Bollman  and  myself.  He  was  not  told  of  our  liberation, 
but  informed  that  we  had  been  taken,  and  sentenced  to  execution. 
For  months  he  daily  expected,  every  time  the  guard  turned  out,  to 
see  us  shot  under  his  windows.  I never  saw  him  again,  till,  after  an 
interval  of  thirty  years,  we  met  the  other  day  in  New  York.  Deter- 
mined that  our  first  interview  should  be  without  witnesses,  I repaired 
to  his  lodgings  early  in  the  morning,  and  was  admitted  before  he  left 
his  apartment.” 

This  narrative,  when  heard  from  the  lips  of  an  actor  in  the  scenes 
described,  excited  intense  interest.  Every  countenance  expressed 
alternate  hope,  fear,  anxiety,  and  joy. 

In  the  evening,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quincy  accompanied  Colonel  Huger 
to  visit  Mr.  Adams,  and  then  to  Boston ; and  parted  from  him  with 


198 


great  regret,  as  there  seemed  little  probability  that  he  would  ever 
return  to  New  England.  In  these  feelings  he  evidently  participated  ; 
and  his  last  words  were,  “ Adieu  for  this  visit  1 I never  take  a last 
farewell.  We  shall  meet  again.” 

In  1825,  the  publication  of  a Memoir  of  Josiah  Quincy,  jun.,  of 
1775,  by  his  son,  and  the  second  visit  of  General  Lafayette,  were 
sources  of  great  interest  to  Mrs.  Quincy.  In  June,  Boston  was  again 
crowded  with  distinguished  foreigners  and  strangers  from  all  parts  of 
the  United  States.  Many  of  them  were  present  at  a reception  Mrs.. 
Quincy  gave,  on  the  evening  of  the  16th  of  June,  for  Lafayette. 

The  morning  of  the  17th  of  June  was  bright  and  cloudless.  The 
sound  of  cannon  recalled  the  day  of  the  conflict,  when,  from  the 
precincts  of  Boston,  the  inhabitants  looked  forth  with  emotions  far 
different  from  those  which  in  1825  animated  the  multitudes  throng- 
ing the  streets  of  a city  established  in  prosperity  and  peace.  In 
Charlestown,  at  the  base  of  the  northern  declivity  of  Bunker  Hill,  a 
platform  was  erected  for  the  orator  and  the  chief  personages,  with 
seats  on  each  side  for  the  ladies ; those  for  the  survivors  of  the  bat- 
tle of  June  17, 1775  ; for  Lafayette  and  the  soldiers  of  the  Revolution  ; 
and,  for  the  rest  of  the  vast  audience,  rose  tier  above  tier  toward 
and  upon  the  summit  of  the  hill.  Many  passages  in  the  oration 
of  Mr.  Webster  were  highly  applauded,  and  the  whole  scene  was 
impressive. 

In  the  evening,  the  houses  of  Mr.  Webster  and  Mr.  Thorndike  in 
Summer  Street,  thrown  into  one  for  the  occasion,  were  crowded 
with  a brilliant  assembly;  and  the  scenes  of  the  morning  formed 
the  general  theme.  Mrs.  Quincy,  in  conversation  with  Mr.  Webster, 
thanked  him  for  the  tribute  he  had  paid  to  Josiah  Quincy,  jun., 
of  1775,  in  his  oration.  “ There  is  no  need  of  my  help  in  that 
cause,”  was  his  reply.  “ The  memoir  Mr.  Quincy  has  published 
will  be  an  enduring  monument.  It  is  one  of  the  most  interesting 
books  I ever  read,  and  brings  me  nearer  than  any  other  to  the 


199 


spirit  which  caused  the  American  Revolution.  Josiah  Quincy,  jun., 
was  a noble  character.  I love  him  because  he  loved  the  law.  How 
zealous  he  was  in  seeking  out  the  celebrated  lawyers,  in  copying 
their  reports,  in  studying  the  laws  of  the  different  Colonies ! There 
are  no  such  men  now-a-days.  Who  keeps  such  journals  ? ” Mrs. 
Quincy  replied,  “I  hope  you  do,  Mr.  Webster.”  — “No:  I do  not. 
The  times  are  far  different.  The  members  of  Congress  do  not  write 
such  letters  now.”  Referring  to  the  scene  of  the  morning,  he  then 
said,  “ I never  desire  to  see  again  such  an  awful  sight  as  so  many 
thousand  human  faces  all  turned  toward  me.  It  was,  indeed,  a sea 
of  faces  I beheld  at  that  moment.”  Dr.  Warren  informed  Mrs.  Quincy 
that  he  had  put  the  Memoir  of  Josiah  Quincy,  jun.,  into  the  corner- 
stone of  the  Bunker-Hill  Monument,  among  the  memorials  of  the 
Revolution. 

On  the  morning  of  the  18th  of  June,  Mr.  Quincy  accompanied 
Lafayette  to  visit  John  Adams.  A few  moments  after  they  departed, 
Colonel  Pickering  was  announced  at  Hamilton  Place.  Being  com- 
plimented on  his  good  health  and  unchanged  appearance,  he  told  a 
story  about  some  intercepted  letters,  written,  during  the  Revolution, 
by  a Frenchman,  in  cipher,  which  were  thought  to  contain  dangerous 
information ; but  all  they  said  of  him  was,  “ As  for  Mr.  Pickering,  he 
is  toujours  le  meme”  He  said,  “ The  resolutions  passed  in  the  town 
of  Salem,  on  the  Boston  Port  Bill,  mentioned  in  Mr.  Webster’s  oration 
yesterday,  were  written  by  me.  At  that  time,  every  man  of  liberal 
education,  except  my  brother  and  myself,  were  Tories ; which  made 
it  the  more  remarkable  that  such  resolutions  should  be  passed. 
Josiah  Quincy,  jun.,  passed  the  night  before  he  sailed  for  England, 
in  September,  1774,  at  my  father’s  house  in  Salem.  I was  not  much 
acquainted  with  Mr.  Quincy  in  college,  although  we  were  classmates : 
but  I shall  never  forget  his  oration  on  Patriotism,  at  Commence- 
ment ; and  the  tone  of  voice  with  which  he  said,  ‘ A patriot,’  and 
then  proceeded  to  give  the  character  of  one.” 


200 


Colonel  Putnam  then  came,  and  conversed  with  Colonel  Pickering 
on  the  times  of  the  Revolution.  He  said,  “ I was  in  the  American 
Army  on  the  17th  of  June,  1775  : but  my  father  ordered  me  to  stay  in 
Cambridge  to  guard  Mrs.  Inman,  a Tory  lady,  who  had  placed  her- 
self under  his  protection;  and  therefore  I could  not  go  with  the 
troops  to  Charlestown.” 

The  last  evening  of  Lafayette’s  visit  was  passed  at  the  Boston 
Theatre,  which  was  appropriately  decorated.  Every  tribute  to  him 
Avas  received  with  great  applause ; and  on  this,  his  last  public  appear- 
ance, he  was  folloAved  with  the  same  enthusiasm  Avhich  greeted  his 
enti'ance  into  Boston. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


In  August,  1825,  the  Duke  Bernard  of  Saxe -Weimar,  accompanied 
by  Captain  Ryk  of  the  “ Pallas,”  and  Mr.  Yan  Tromp,  a descendant  of 
the  famous  admiral  of  that  name,  dined  at  Quincy  with  a large  party. 
The  Duke  of  Saxe -Weimar  was  commanding  in  appearance,  being 
above  six  feet  in  height ; intelligent,  and  unassuming  in  conversation 
and  manners.  Unprepared  for  the  progress  of  civilization  in  the 
United  States,  he  expected  to  meet  Indians  in  the  streets  of  Boston, 
and  was  surprised  that  ladies  should  venture  five  hundred  miles  into 
the  interior  to  visit  Niagara.  He  had  loaded  the  “Pallas”  with  books, 
articles  of  clothing,  &c.,  as  if  he  was  going  to  a country  where  the 
accommodations  of  life  were  not  to  be  easily  obtained.  Captain  Ryk 
had  raised  himself  by  his  abilities  to  a high  rank  in  the  navy,  and 
subsequently  commanded  the  Dutch  fleet  as  admiral.  He  spoke  the 
modern  languages,  was  acquainted  with  their  literature,  and  was 
animated  in  conversation.  Yan  Tromp  was  studying  naval  tactics 
under  Captain  Ryk.  Mr.  Adams,  when  he  was  introduced,  raised  his 
hand  above  his  head,  and  exclaimed,  “ Hurrah  for  Yan  Tromp  ! ” 

In  the  autumn,  Count  Charles  Yidua  of  Turin,  the  son  of  the 
prime  minister  of  the  King  of  Sardinia,  brought  letters  from  Lafay- 
ette, to  whom  he  had  been  introduced  by  Humboldt.  He  had  tra- 
velled extensively  in  Europe,  Africa,  and  Asia ; and  was  remarkable 
for  his  accomplishments  and  acquirements,  and  for  an  insatiable  thirst 
for  knowledge.  Mr.  Adams  said  he  was  a profound  thinker,  and  that 

26 


202 


he  had  proposed  questions  to  him  about  the  American  Revolution, 
which  no  other  man  had  ever  asked.  A few  years  after  Count  Vidua 
visited  the  United  States,  he  died  in  the  East  Indies.  Mr.  Adams 
enjoyed  the  society  of  these  eminent  foreigners,  and  often  came  to 
compare  opinions  with  his  friends ; but  the  infirmities  of  age  pressed 
upon  him.  On  the  30th  of  September,  supported  by  his  son  John 
Quincy  Adams,  who,  as  President  of  the  United  States,  had  come  to 
visit  him,  he  entered  the  mansion,  long  his  favorite  resort,  for  the  last 
time.  Afterwards  he  often  drove  down  the  avenue,  and  conversed 
with  Mrs.  Quincy  and  her  family,  but  without  leaving  his  carriage. 
On  the  1st  of  October,  Mr.  J.  Q.  Adams,  Judge  Davis,  Gilbert 
Stuart  the  artist,  and  Mr.  I.  P.  Davis,  dined  with  Mr.  Quincy.  Stu- 
art’s attention  was  attracted  by  an  engraving  from  West’s  painting  of 
the  “ Battle  of  the  Boyne  ; ” and  he  said,  “ I was  studying  with  West 
when  he  was  at  work  on  that  picture ; and  I had  to  lie  on  the  floor 
for  hours,  dressed  in  armor,  for  him  to  paint  me,  in  the  foreground 
of  the  picture,  as  the  Duke  of  Schomberg.  At  last,  West  said,  ‘Are 
you  dead,  Stuart  ? ’ — ‘ Only  half,  sir,’  was  my  reply  : and  my  answer 
was  true ; for  the  stiffness  of  the  armor  almost  deprived  me  of  sensa- 
tion. Then  I had  to  sit  for  hours,  on  a horse  belonging  to  King 
George,  to  represent  King  William. . After  the  painting  was  finished, 
an  Irishman  came  into  West’s  room,  and  said,  looking  at  the  picture, 
‘You  have  the  battle-ground  there  correct  enough;  but  where  is  the 
monument  ? I was  in  Ireland  the  other  day,  and  saw  it.’  He  ex- 
pected to  see  the  memorial  of  a battle  in  a representation  of  its 
commencement.” 

At  the  dinner-table,  Mrs.  Quincy  referred  to  the  happy  idea  of 
naming  the  frigate,  which  was  to  carry  Lafayette  to  France,  the 
“ Brandywine.”  * — “ Yes,”  said  Mr.  Adams : “ I believe  that  gratified 


* Lafayette  was  wounded  at  the  battle  of  the  Brandywine,  Sept.  11,  1777,  — the  action  in 
which  he  first  served  in  the  American  Army.  — Sjjarlcs:  Washington's  Writings , vol.  v.  p.  455. 


203 


him  very  much.  The  vessel  was  on  the  stocks  in  the  Navy  Yard  at 
"Washington.  Commodore  Tingey,  the  superintendent,  came  to  tell 
me  that  she  would  soon  be  launched,  and  that  they  called  her  the 
1 Susquehannah.’  I said  nothing,  hut  asked  if  she  could  be  ready  for 
sea  in  six  weeks.  He  replied,  'No  : I do  not  think  it  possible.’  I then 
told  him  to  inform  the  Navy  Commissioners  that  the  frigate  must  be 
ready  by  the  1st  of  September,  as  I intended  to  send  General  Lafay- 
ette to  France  in  her.  Soon  after,  Tingey  came  again  to  inform  me 
that  the  ship  was  to  be  launched  the  next  day.  I said,  ‘ I choose  to 
be  launched  in  her,’  determined  that  she  should  have  the  name  I had 
selected.  Accordingly,  when  all  was  ready,  and  a man,  with  a bottle 
fastened  to  a string,  asked  me  for  her  name,  and  I said,  ‘ The  Brandy- 
wine,’ amazement  was  depicted  in  every  countenance,  as  it  was 
expected  that  she  was  to  be  called  the  ‘ Susquehannah.’  One  of  the 
lieutenants  said  to  me,  ‘ You  intend,  sir,  to  man  the  ship  quickly,  I 
presume.  You  will  find  no  difficulty : the  sailors  will  think  it  is  grog.’ 
But,  wdren  I mentioned  my  design,  the  young  man  sprang  into  the  air, 
and  exclaimed,  ‘ How  delighted  Lafayette  will  be  ! And  my  father 
will  be  delighted  too;  for  he  was  in  that  battle.’  On  the  17th  of 
June  I wrote  to  Lafayette,  expressing  my  regret  that  I could  not  be 
with  him  on  Bunker  Hill,  and  told  him  I could  prove  we  had  been 
thinking  of  him  at  Washington ; and  then  mentioned  the  name  of  the 
frigate,  and  her  destination.  His  reply  was  expressive  of  high  grati- 
fication.” 

Mr.  Adams  then  spoke  of  Lafayette  in  the  most  exalted  terms, 
and  gave  a sketch  of  his  life  and  his  whole  political  course,  which  he 
said  had  no  parallel  in  history.  “ Madame  Lafayette,”  continued 
Mr.  Adams,  “ was  a remarkably  fine  woman.  When  I was  a boy,  at 
school,  near  Paris,  I remember  her  coming  to  see  me  and  some  other 
American  children.  A son  of  Silas  Deane  was  one  of  my  schoolfellows. 
I never  saw  him  again  till  last  autumn ; when  I recognized  him  on 
board  a steamboat,  and  introduced  him  to  Lafayette,  who  said,  ' Do 


204 


you  and  Deane  agree?’  I said,  ‘Yes.’  — ‘That’s  more  than  your 
fathers  did  before  you/  replied  the  General.  Silas  Deane,”  con- 
tinued Mr.  Adams,  “ was  a man  of  fine  talents  ; but,  like  General 
Arnold,  he  was  not  true  to  his  country.  After  he  was  dismissed  from 
the  service  of  the  United  States,  he  went  to  England  ; lived  for  a 
long  time  on  Lord  Sheffield’s  patronage ; and  wrote  a book,  which  did 
more  to  widen  the  breach  between  England  and  America,  and  pro- 
duce unpleasant  feelings  between  the  two  countries,  than  any  work 
that  had  been  published.  Finally,  he  determined  to  return  to  Ame- 
rica ; but,  in  a fit  of  remorse  and  despair,  committed  suicide  before 
the  vessel  left  the  Thames.  His  character  and  fate  affected  those  of 
his  son,  who  has  lived  in  obscurity.” 

The  parting  address  of  Mr.  Adams  to  Lafayette  was  then  men- 
tioned by  Mrs.  Quincy;  and  he  said,  “Yes:  when  I bade  Lafayette 
fai'ewell  at  the  President’s  House  at  Washington,  and  he  turned  from 
me  to  depart,  his  deep  emotion,  my  own,  and  the  excitement  of  the 
multitude  around  us,  — all  in  tears,  — presented  a scene  I never  saw 
equalled.  The  effect  Mrs.  Siddons  produced  on  a crowded  audience, 
at  the  close  of  a highly  wrought  tragedy,  approached  nearest  to  it ; 
but  this  was  an  event  in  real  life.” 

In  the  evening,  Mr.  Adams  noticed  the  revolving  light  in  Boston 
Harbor,  and  said,  “ There  is  no  evidence  of  the  civilization  of  a coun- 
try more  striking  than  the  light-houses  on  its  coast.  When  I see  one  ■ 
in  the  evening,  I am  reminded  of  the  light  Columbus  saw  the  night 
he  discovered  the  New  World,  — one  of  the  most  interesting  moments 
on  the  records  of  history.  What  must  have  been  his  sensations  at 
that  instant ! He  had  been  sailing  and  sailing  westward ; hope  was 
almost  extinct ; when  suddenly  there  was  a light,  — there  was  the 
New  World  he  sought.  His  enterprise  was  crowned  with  success. 
What  a moment  for  him  and  for  the  destinies  of  the  human  race  ! If 
I was  the  owner  of  this  house,  the  view  of  that  light-house  would  be 
worth  a thousand  dollars  a year  to  me.” 


205 


During  the  succeeding  months,  it  was  evident  that  the  eventful 
life  of  John  Adams  was  rapidly  approximating  to  its  close.  The  fol- 
lowing letter  of  introduction  was  given  by  him  to  Josiah  Quincy,  jun., 
who  was  prevented  from  extending  his  tour  beyond  Washington  ; and 
it  therefore  remained  in  his  possession : — 

To  Thomas  Jefferson,  Ex-President  of  the  United  States, 
Monticello. 

Quincy,  Jan.  14,  1826. 

My  dear  Sir,  — Permit  me  to  introduce  to  your  acquaintance  a 
young  lawyer  by  the  name  of  Josiah  Quincy,  with  the  title  of  Colonel ; 
being  aid  to  our  Governor.  The  name  of  Colonel  Quincy,  I be- 
lieve, has  never  been  extinct  for  nearly  two  hundred  years.  He  is 
a son  of  our  excellent  Mayor  of  the  city  of  Boston,  and  possesses  a 
character  unstained  and  irreproachable.  I applaud  his  ambition  to 
visit  Monticello  and  its  great  inhabitant;  and,  while  I have  my  hand 
in,  I cannot  cease  without  giving  you  some  account  of  the  state  of 
my  mind.  I am  certainly  very  near  the  end  of  my  life.  I am  very 
far  from  trifling  with  the  idea  of  death,  which  is  a great  and  solemn 
event ; but  I contemplate  it  Avithout  terror  or  dismay,  — aut  transit, 
aut  finit.  If  finit,  which  I cannot  believe  and  do  not  believe,  there 
is  then  an  end  of  all : but  I shall  never  know  it ; and  why  should  I 
dread  it? — which  I do  not.  If  transit,  I shall  ever  be  under  the  same 
constitution  and  administration  of  government  in  the  universe ; and  I 
am  not  afraid  to  trust  and  confide  in  it. 

I am,  as  ever,  your  friend,  John  Adams. 

In  the  winter  and  spring  of  1826,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quincy  frequently 
visited  Mr.  Adams ; and  in  June,  before  they  returned  to  their  sum- 
mer residence,  he  often  drove  down  the  avenue  to  ascertain  if  they 
had  not  arrived.  On  Friday,  the  30th  of  June,  Mrs.  Quincy  visited 
Mr.  Adams,  with  her  mother  Mrs.  Morton,  and  tAvo  of  her  daughters. 


206 


He  conversed  about  the  railroad  (the  first  in  America)  then  con- 
structing to  carry  the  granite  for  the  Bunker-Hill  Monument  from 
Quincy  to  the  Neponset;  said  he  wished  he  could  see  it  finished; 
and  added,  “ What  wonderful  improvements  those  will  see  in  this 
country,  who  live  fifty  years  hence  ! But  I am  thankful  I have  seen 
those  which  have  taken  place  during  the  last  fifty.”  He  then  spoke 
of  the  approaching  celebration  of  the  4th  of  July,  and  of  the  oration 
Mr.  Quincy,  as  Mayor  of  Boston,  was  to  deliver  in  the  Old  South,  on 
the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  that  day ; said  he  wished  he  had  strength 
to  go  and  hear  him ; and  took  an  affectionate  leave  of  his  friends. 
After  they  had  left  the  room,  he  expressed  his  intention  to  return 
their  visit  the  next  day.  Accordingly,  before  eight  o’clock  on  the 
morning  of  Saturday  the  1st  of  July,  in  opposition  to  the  entreaties 
of  his  family,  he  was  lifted  into  his  carriage  by  his  absolute  com- 
mands ; and,  attended  by  one  of  his  grandsons,  once  more  reached 
the  door  of  Mr.  Quincy’s  mansion,  conversed  with  his  friends  as  they 
stood  round  his  carriage,  and  again  said,  “ Farewell.”  The  effort 
was  too  great  for  his  failing  strength.  After  his  return,  he  rapidly 
declined.  Mrs.  Quincy  was  not  aware  of  the  change,  as,  on  Monday 
the  3d  of  July,  she  went  to  Boston  to  be  present  at  the  celebration 
of  the  Fourth. 

When  addressing  the  multitude  assembled  in  the  Old  South,  on  the 
4th  of  July,  1826,  the  tribute  paid  by  Mr.  Quincy  to  “the  Patriarch 
of  American  Independence,  of  all  New  England’s  worthies  the  sole 
survivor,”  was  highly  applauded.  “ The  sounds  of  a nation’s  joy 
were  heard  by  that  ancient  citizen  of  Boston  ; and,  when  the  shades  of 
his  evening  sky  reflected  the  splendors  of  his  meridian  brightness,” 
he  joined  the  great  company  of  the  departed. 

The  death  of  John  Adams  on  this  anniversary  seemed  an  event 
too  remarkable  to  occur;  and  the  intelligence  was  at  first  received 
with  incredulity.  On  the  5th  of  July,  the  event  was  announced 
by  minute-guns  from  the  Common,  the  tolling  of  bells,  and  the  flag 


207 


N 


of  the  United  States  at  half-mast.  The  one  on  the  flagstaff  on  the 
site  of  the  Liberty  Tree,  in  Washington  Street,  was  especially  ob- 
served by  Mrs.  Quincy  and  her  children,  as  they  left  Boston  amid 
these  tokens  of  respect.  The  sorrow  for  the  removal  of  a friend,  so 
long  their  affectionate  associate,  was  mingled  with  admiration  and 
gratitude  for  so  appropriate  a tei’mination  of  his  career. 

On  the  7th  of  July,  a numerous  assembly  attended  the  obsequies 
of  John  Adams  in  his  native  village,  “ where  his  latter  days  went 
down  the  vale  of  years.” 

The  excitement  of  the  public,  occasioned  by  the  death  of  John 
Adams,  was  renewed  and  deepened  on  the  9th  of  July,  when  intelli- 
gence arrived  that  Thomas  Jefferson  had  also  died  on  the  fiftieth 
anniversary  of  the  Fourth,  at  half-past  twelve  o’clock,  while  the 
Declaration  of  Independence  was  being  read,  at  Charlottesville,  near 
Monticello.* 

The  Declaration  of  Independence  was  adopted  by  Congress  on 
the  4th  of  July,  1776,  between  the  hours  of  twelve  and  one  o’clock, 
and  publicly  proclaimed  at  five  in  the  afternoon.  Thus  Mr.  Jefferson 
died  fifty  years  after  its  adoption ; Mr.  Adams,  fifty  years  after  its 
promulgation. 

John  Quincy  Adams  soon  arrived  from  Washington,  and  passed 
Sunday  evening,  the  17th  of  July,  at  Mr.  Quincy’s  house.  The 
feeling  which  the  recent  event  had  excited  at  first  made  his  friends 
hesitate  to  dwell  on  the  subject ; but  he  afterwards  spoke  of  his 
father  as  he  would  have  done  of  any  historical  character  to  whom 
he  held  no  immediate  relation. 

The  calculation  of  Mr.  Bowditch  was  mentioned,  that  the  chance 
that  two  of  the  signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  in  1776 


* Louisa  Smith,  the  niece  and  adopted  daughter  of  Mrs.  Abigail  Adams,  who  attended  Mr. 
Adams  on  that  day,  informed  the  Editor,  that  the  last  words  he  distinctly  spoke  was  the  name, 
“ Thomas  Jefferson.”  The  rest  of  the  sentence  he  uttered  was  so  inarticulate,  that  she  could  not 
catch  the  meaning.  This  occurred  at  one  o’clock,  — a few  moments  after  Mr.  Jefferson  had  died. 


208 


should  survive  half  a century,  and  die  on  the  4th  of  July,  was  only 
one  in  twelve  hundred  millions.  “ Yes,”  said  Mr.  Adams  : “ that  two 
men  who  had  been  associates  in  signing  that  instrument,  and  who  had 
been  rivals  for  the  Presidency  of  the  United  States,  should  renew 
their  friendship,  and  die  on  that  anniversary,  are  coincidences  un- 
paralleled in  the  history  of  the  world.  Providence  seems  to  have 
distinguished  the  American  Revolution  from  all  others,  in  the  fate  of 
the  principal  actors.  Take  the  French  Revolution,  and  the  Revo- 
lution of  1648  in  England:  the  chief  persons  concerned  all  perished 
in  them,  or  did  not  long  survive.  Cromwell,  to  be  sure,  died  a 
natural  death ; but  his  ashes  were  soon  taken  up,  and  scattered  to 
the  winds : while  the  chief  men  of  our  Revolution,  and  all  the  signers 
of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  died  in  peace.  John  Adams  and 
Thomas  Jefferson  were  the  last  survivors ; and  we  have  seen  them 
living  to  the  extreme  of  old  age,  and  dying  under  every  circumstance 
of  comfort  and  alleviation  which  this  world  can  give.” 

Mrs.  Quincy  mentioned  Mr.  Gwinnett,  one  of  the  signers  of  the 
Declaration,  who  was  killed  in  a duel.  “Yes,”  replied  Mr.  Adams; 
“ but  he  was  from  Georgia.  A duel  is  a natural  death  for  a Geor- 
gian. Silas  Deane,  who  was  a traitor  to  the  American  cause,  died  a 
violent  death ; and  Arnold  lived  a violent  life  : but  all  the  patriotic 
men  of  the  Revolution  were  rewarded  with  peace,  — many  with 
long  life. 

“ I remember,”  continued  Mr.  Adams,  “ the  day  the  news  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence  was  received  in  Boston,  — the  excite- 
ment it  occasioned ; and  hearing  it  read  from  the  balcony  of  the  Town 
House  in  King  Street.  I was  then  living  with  my  mother  in  Boston. 
In  the  afternoon,  I was  ill,  and  was  not  allowed  to  go  out  to  see  the 
rejoicings  on  the  Common,  — which  I thought  as  great  a misfortune 
as  could  befall  me.” 

Faneuil  Hall,  on  the  2d  of  August,  was  appropriately  and  richly 
draped  in  mourning ; and  the  marble  bust  of  Mr.  Adams  appeared  in 


209 


high  relief  above  the  head  of  the  orator.  His  portrait,  and  that  of 
Mr.  Jefferson,  — both  by  the  pencil  of  Stuart,  — were  placed  on  the 
side-galleries,  opposite  to  each  other. 

The  coincidences  of  their  death,  the  union  of  their  eulogy,  were 
rendered  yet  more  remarkable  by  the  fact,  that  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  who  then  stood  on  the  platform,  was  the  son  of  Mr. 
Adams,  whom  Mr.  Jefferson  had  superseded  in  that  station. 

The  address  by  Mr.  "Webster  was  eloquent,  and  appropriate  to  the 
characters  and  events  which  it  commemorated. 

After  this  time,  John  Quincy  Adams  sought  yet  more  frequently 
the  society  of  the  friends  who  participated  in  his  attachment  to  the 
memory  of  his  pai’ents,  and  could  appreciate  his  intellectual  acquisi- 
tions. As  far  as  his  public  station  permitted,  he  replaced  to  them 
the  affectionate  associate  they  had  lost  in  his  father.  From  the 
turmoil  of  political  life,  he  delighted  to  return  to  the  scenes  of  his 
childhood,  and  to  revert  to  his  early  days.  “ I remember,”  said  Mr. 
Adams,  “ living  in  the  house  where  I was  born,  at  the  foot  of  Penn’s 
Hill.  The  day  after  the  battle  of  Lexington,  men  came,  and  took 
the  pewter  spoons  out  of  our  kitchen  to  melt  them  up  into  bullets. 
On  the  day  of  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  I heard  the  cannon,  and, 
with  my  mother,  saw  the  smoke  of  Charlestown,  from  Penn’s  Hill ; 
and  I recollect  her  distress  on  receiving  intelligence  of  the  death 
of  Warren.  During  the  siege  of  Boston,  I used  to  go  up  on  that  hill 
every  evening  to  see  the  shells  thrown  by  the  American  and  British 
forces ; which,  at  night,  had  the  brilliancy  of  fire-works.  There  is 
no  part  of  the  country  where  there  are  so  few  changes.  When- 
ever I drive  over  Penn’s  Hill,  I see  squirrels  and  wrens  running 
and  flying  about,  whose  ancestors’  nests  I took  many  a time  when  I 
was  a boy.  A wren’s  nest  was  then  a great  prize  to  me.  There 
are  always  nine  eggs  in  a wren’s  nest,  neither  more  nor  less,  — al- 
ways nine.  This  was  known  as  long  ago  as  the  time  of  Shakspeare. 
He  was  an  accurate  observer  of  nature ; and  he  makes  one  of  his 

27 


! 


210 


characters  say,  ‘ The  youngest  wren  of  nine.’  My  mother  made  me 
learn  by  heart,  when  I was  a boy,  Spence’s  translation  of  ‘ The  Choice 
of  Hercules,’  by  Prodicus;  to  which  I alluded,  in  my  farewell  address 
to  Lafayette,  as  1 the  fairest  fable  of  antiquity.’  ” 

He  then  recited  from  Plutarch  the  lines,  inscribed  on  one  of  the 
Herma3,  Cimon  was  permitted  to  erect  as  a memorial  of  his  victo- 
ries : — - 

“ Let  him  who,  born  in  distant  days, 

Beholds  these  monuments  of  praise, — 

These  forms  that  Valor’s  glory  save, — 

And  sees  how  Athens  crowns  the  brave, 

For  honor  feel  the  patriot-sigh, 

And  for  his  country  learn  to  die.” 

The  volume  was  brought,  and  Mr.  Adams  read  the  lines  and  the 
following  passage  : “ Though  Cimon’s  name  does  not  appear  in  any 
of  these  inscriptions,  yet  his  contemporaries  considered  them  as  the 
highest  pitch  of  honor ; for  neither  Themistocles  nor  Miltiades  was 
honored  with  any  thing  of  that  kind.  Nay,  when  the  latter  asked 
only  for  a crown  of  olive,  Lachares,  of  the  ward  of  Decelea,  stood  up 
in  the  midst  of  the  assembly,  and  spoke  against  it  in  terms  that  were 
not  candid  indeed,  but  agreeable  to  the  people.  He  said,  1 Miltiades, 
when  you  shall  fight  the  Barbarians,  and  conquer,  alone,  then  ask  to 
have  honors  paid  to  you  alone 

“ This  transaction,”  continued  Mr.  Adams,  “ strikingly  illustrates 
the  free  spirit  and  character  of  the  Athenians.  Langhorne’s  ‘ Plu- 
tarch ’ and  Smith’s  ‘ Thucydides  ’ I consider  the  best  translations  of 
the  ancient  writers,  in  the  English  language.” 

When  inquiries  were  made  relative  to  the  invasion  of  the  domi- 
nions of  the  Emperor  Alexander  by  Bonaparte  during  his  residence 
at  St.  Petersburg,  he  replied,  “ Although  I was  in  Eussia  at  the 
time  Moscow  was  burnt,  I never  could  discover  precisely  who  was 


Langhorne’s  “ Plutarch,”  vol.  iii.  p.  281. 


211 


the  cause  of  that  measure.  Rostopchin,  the  Governor  of  Moscow, 
was  said  to  have  been  the  person ; but  he  denied  it,  and  the  emperor 
denied  having  ordered  it.  They  would  not  have  liked  to  acknow- 
ledge being  obliged  to  resort  to  such  a measure  for  defence.  But  I 
believe,  that,  if  Moscow  had  not  been  burnt,  Bonaparte  would  have 
established  himself  there,  and  the  emperor  would  have  been  forced 
to  make  a peace  with  him.  If  the  Russian  Government  had  acknow- 
ledged that  they  caused  the  fire,  they  would  have  been  obliged  to 
indemnify  the  sufferers.  Alexander  was  very  generous  to  them  ; but 
still  there  were  many  persons  who  could  not  be  indemnified  for  their 
losses.  When  the  French  Army  was  advancing,  the  Russians  were 
employed  for  weeks  in  packing  up  and  carrying  away  the  valuable 
paintings  and  ornaments  of  the  Hermitage.  The  Palace,  so  called,  is 
not  larger  than  the  houses  of  the  nobility  usually  are  in  Russia ; but, 
from  the  style  in  which  it  wras  decorated  by  the  Empress  Catherine, 
it  is  unequalled  in  elegance  and  splendor.  It  is  situated  in  the  midst 
of  the  city ; and,  there  being  no  room  for  a garden,  the  empress 
caused  one  to  be  made  on  its  roof,  and  connected  it  with  the  Winter 
Palace,  which  extends  half  a mile  on  the  banks  of  the  Neva,  and 
which  is  very  superb,  from  the  immense  size  of  its  halls.  One  of 
them,  called  the  Marble  Hall,  has  its  walls  entirely  formed  of  por- 
phyry ; but  it  was  always  gloomy.  The  Emperor  Alexander  some- 
times gave  audience  in  it ; and,  when  it  was  used  in  the  evening, 
they  would  put  fifty  thousand  candles  into  it,  and  yet  it  was  dimly 
lighted.  Some  one  expressed  surprise  that  it  was  not  lighter  with  so 
many  candles  in  it.  Caulaincourt,  the  French  minister,  replied,  1 Put 
the  sun  into  it,  and  it  would  not  light  it.’ 

“ The  Empress  Catherine  had  her  throne  placed  in  the  Marble 
Hall,  and  used  to  give  audience  there.  I never  saw  Alexander  on 
the  throne.  He  was  a man  who  cared  little  about  thrones ; and  was 
one  of  the  most  complete  republicans,  in  character  and  manners,  I 
have  ever  known.  He  used  to  walk  the  streets  of  St.  Petersburg 


212 


every  day,  and  stop  and  talk  to  any  one  he  met.  He  was  extremely 
popular,  and  I do  not  believe  he  was  carried  off  by  treachery.  They 
employ  a quicker  process  in  that  case,  and  he  would  have  died  in  less 
time.  It  is  astonishing  to  observe  the  coolness  with  which  they  talk 
of  assassinating  an  emperor  in  Russia,  or  of  applying  what  they  call 
the  constitutional*  remedy.  A nation  will  bear  a despotism  for  a 
great  length  of  time  ; but,  as  soon  as  a man  becomes  a tyrant,  they 
will  get  rid  of  him.  The  only  thing  to  be  regretted  is,  that  they 
sometimes  lose  their  best  men,  as  well  as  their  worst,  in  this  way. 
Alexander,  during  the  whole  of  the  war  with  Bonaparte,  exposed 
himself  as  much  as  any  of  his  officers.  At  the  close  of  that  war,  he 
was  undoubtedly  one  of  the  first  generals  in  Europe.  Moreau  was 
killed  at  his  side  by  a cannon-ball  from  the  walls  of  Dresden.”  Mrs. 
Quincy  said,  “ Moreau’s  was  a hard  fate.”  — “ It  was  so,”  replied  Mr. 
Adams  ; “ but  I do  not  think  he  deserved  pity.  He  was  fighting 
against  his  country,  which  no  man  can  ever  be  justified  in  doing.  A 
man,  if  he  disapproves  a government  or  a war,  may  remain  quiet  and 
neutral ; but  nothing  should  ever  induce  him  to  take  up  arms  against 
his  country.  I saw  Moreau’s  funeral  at  St.  Petersburg,  which  was 
attended  with  great  pomp.  His  aid  Rappertelle,  in  reply  to  some 
expressions  of  condolence  from  me  on  the  loss  of  his  general,  raised 
his  eyes  to  heaven,  and  said,  ‘ Would  to  God  it  had  been  me  !’  He 
returned  to  the  army  ; and  a few  weeks  after,  standing  beside  the 
Emperor  Alexander,  he  met  precisely  the  same  fate  as  Moreau,  — 
being  killed  by  a cannon-ball.” 

Mr.  Adams  then  continued  to  give  minute  and  valuable  informa- 
tion relative  to  the  characters  and  the  relationships  of  the  royal 
families  of  Europe. 


CHAPTER  X. 


In  1828,  Mrs.  Quincy  was  deprived  of  a friend,  who,  from  mutual 
affectionate  attachment,  deserves  a distinguished  place  in  any  memo- 
rial of  herself.  Edward  Dowse,  the  son  of  Jonathan  Dowse,  Esq., 
was  horn  at  Charlestown,  Massachusetts,  in  1756.  His  mother  was 
Margaret,  the  daughter  of  Robert  Temple  of  Ten  Hills,  and  sister  of 
Sir  John  Temple.  Without  the  advantage  of  a college  education,  his 
attainments  in  literature  and  in  the  higher  branches  of  the  mathema- 
tics were  such  as  are  seldom  the  result  of  that  privilege.  In  1792, 
Mr.  Dowse  married  Sarah,  the  daughter  of  William  Phillips  of  Boston, 
and  the  sister  of  Mrs.  Abigail  Quincy.  Being  engaged  in  commerce, 
he  purchased,  in  1793,  two  ships  for  the  trade  then  opening  with 
China,  and  sailed  for  Canton,  where  he  freighted  both  vessels  for  the 
Ostend  market.  With  the  one  he  commanded  himself,  he  made  a 
successful  voyage  ; but  his  brother  Robert  Dowse,  the  captain  of  the 
other  ship,  died  at  Batavia.  His  successor  in  command  deviated  from 
the  orders  he  had  received ; and,  instead  of  following  Mr.  Dowse  to 
Ostend,  brought  the  vessel  to  Boston.  At  the  earnest  request  of 
Mrs.  Dowse  and  her  friends,  her  nephew  Josiah  Quincy,  then  only 
twenty-two  years  of  age,  took  possession  of  the  ship ; sold  part  of 
the  cargo,  according  to  the  advice  of  experienced  merchants  ; and 
stored  the  residue  until  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Dowse,  who  entirely 
approved  of  the  measures  he  had  taken.  The  plans  of  Mr.  Dowse  for 


214 


this  enterprise  having  been  thus  defeated,  he  retired  from  mercantile 
pursuits.  The  widow  of  his  friend  Major  S.  Shaw,  the  twin-sister  of 
his  wife,  became  a resident  in  his  family ; and  both  ladies  received 
his  devoted  care  and  attention.  In  1800,  he  purchased  an  estate  in 
the  town  of  Dedham,  in  a commanding  situation  on  the  banks  of 
Charles  River ; and,  in  1804,  erected  a spacious  mansion.  There 
he  continued  to  reside,  engaged  in  all  the  hospitalities  and  charities 
of  life,  in  the  embellishment  of  his  estate,  and  in  the  resources  con- 
ferrecl  by  literature.  After  a critical  investigation  of  the  doctrines 
of  various  sects,  he  rested  in  those  views  of  Christianity  which  are 
denominated  Unitarian. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Dowse  was  long  a decided  Republican,  or  Demo- 
crat, — then  synonymous  terms.  President  Monroe,  when  he  visited 
Massachusetts  in  1817,  was  invited  to  his  mansion  at  Dedham,  and 
passed  there  the  night  preceding  his  public  entrance  into  Boston. 
Elected  representative  in  Congress  from  the  county  of  Norfolk  in 
1819,  a residence  at  Washington,  and  a wider  and  nearer  view  of  the 
measures  of  the  Administration,  changed  the  opinions  which  Mr. 
Dowse  had  previously  held  regarding  the  principles  advocated  by 
Mr.  Quincy  and  other  leading  Federalists.  Extracts  from  his  letters 
to  his  wife  will  illustrate  his  character : — 

To  Mrs.  Dowse , Dedham,  Massachusetts. 

City  of  Washington,  D.C.,  Dec.  23,  1819. 

There  is  a learned  Jew  here,  very  skilful  in  teaching  Hebrew. 
With  General  Smyth  of  Virginia  (just  such  a book- worm  as  myself) 

o 

and  several  others,  I am  going  to  become  his  scholar.  It  would 
divert  you  to  see  our  school ; gray-headed  disciples  in  spectacles 
poring  over  lexicons  and  digging  Hebrew  roots,  and  the  ruler  of 
the  synagogue  a young  man.  It  is  curious  to  observe  on  what  dif- 
ferent motives  and  principles  men  will  concur  in  doing  the  same 
thing.  I am  firmly  persuaded,  notwithstanding  the  errors  and  in- 


215 


terpolations  which,  in  the  course  of  thirty-five  centuries,  have  crept 
into  the  Hebrew  writings,  that  the  mission  of  Moses  was  from 
God.  I learn  Hebrew  with  the  wish  to  confirm  this  opinion.  But 
my  friend  Smyth,  who  is  openly  a Deist,  learns  Hebrew  for  a purpose 
directly  opposite,  — to  detect  Moses  as  an  impostor.  His  preposses- 
sions are  so  strong,  that  nothing,  I fear,  can  alter  them. 

January  8,  1820. 

I am  on  one  of  the  committees,  and  have  no  leisure  left,  unless  I 
forego  the  debates  in  the  House,  where  are  displayed  such  powers, 
such  eloquence,  as  at  least  rivals  the  British  Parliament.  I confess 
(and  it  shows  the  power  of  prejudice  to  beguile  the  understanding) 
that  I have  never  properly  appreciated  our  friend  Quincy.  He  is  here 
spoken  of  with  admiration,  and  his  last  letter  to  me  on  the  Missouri 
question  delights  all  his  friends.  In  political  wisdom  on  this  question, 
he  is  inferior  to  no  one.  Such  men  as  he  ought  to  be  in  public  life. 

There  is  here  a great  assemblage  of  talent  on  the  floor  of  Con- 
gress,— some  who  might  emulate  the  Athenian  orator,  whose  “resist- 
less eloquence  wielded  at  will  that  fierce  democratic.”  To-morow 
comes  on  the  great  question  of  the  Missouri  Territory,  the  people  of 
which  are  sufficiently  numerous  to  become  a State,  and  claim  to  be 
admitted  as  such  ; and  they  also  claim  the  right  of  holding  slaves. 
The  question  will  be  productive  of  much  zeal,  not  to  say  animosity, 
on  both  sides. 

I wish  you  could  be  present  sometimes,  and  hear  John  Randolph’s 
wit.  It  is  the  most  delicate,  and,  at  the  same  time,  the  keenest. 
This  is  the  place  to  see  human  nature  in  great  deformity. 

January  26. 

Yesterday  began  a sort  of  skirmishing  on  the  Missouri  business. 
This  preparatory  manoeuvring  will,  to-day,  probably  lead  on  the  shock 
of  battle.  The  question  is  undoubtedly  of  immense  importance.  On 


216 


one  side,  the  passions,  as  well  as  the  present  and  apparent  interests, 
of  the  Southern  people,  are  deeply  engaged  : and,  to  my  sorrow,  I 
perceive  that  they  have  drawn  over  some  of  our  Yankees.  The 
cause  of  humanity,  religion,  and  sound  policy,  are  the  motives,  I 
firmly  believe,  which  influence  the  other. 

February  2,  1820. 

From  many  passages  in  my  letters,  you  must  have  perceived  that 
this  Missouri  question  lay  upon  my  mind  with  a weight  almost  insup- 
portable. Accordingly,  a few  days  ago,  I came  to  a determination  to 
speak  upon  it ; and  yesterday  I delivered  the  speech  which  I enclose 
to  you.  As  soon  as  I had  taken  my  seat  this  morning,  several  gen- 
tlemen came  up,  among  them  Mr.  Reid  of  Georgia,  and  said  many 
flattering  things.  As  soon  as  he  was  gone,  Mr.  Wood  of  New  York 
— one  of  the  most  learned  men  in  Congress,  and  with  whom  I agree 
on  all  points  — said,  “ I am  afraid,  Mr.  Dowse,  they  will  make  you 
vain ; so  many,  even  on  the  opposite  side,  come  to  bestow  praises  on 
your  speech.” 

February  5. 

Missouri,  Missouri,  engages  all  attention.  Scarcely  ever  was  so 
great  a question  agitated  before  a human  tribunal.  A host  of  talents 
is  brought  into  the  field.  In  the  Senate,  things  have  gone  against  us 
deplorably,  owing  to  the  defection  of  our  Yankees  : For  slavery 
in  Missouri,  twenty-seven ; against  it,  sixteen.  I am  rejoiced  that 
Otis  is  on  our  side.  The  leading  members  of  the  Senate  are  now 
spectators  in  our  House,  where  they  find  themselves  surpassed,  I sus- 
pect, not  only  in  numbers,  but  in  eloquence.  I wish  Quincy  was  here 
to  stem  the  torrent. 

That  modern  Demosthenes,  Clay,  takes  the  floor  on  Monday.  In 
Randolph  I have  been  much  disappointed.  All  he  has  said  on  this  sub- 
ject is  mere  frivolity  and  small  wit.  But  we  have  good  men  of  great 
minds  and  acquirements  on  our  side.  A speech  by  Hemphill  of  Penn- 
sylvania affected  my  delighted  imagination  like  the  charms  of  poetry. 


217 


February  11,  1820. 

To-day  I have  enjoyed  the  feast  of  reason.  Sergeant  of  Penn- 
sylvania, in  favor  of  restriction,  displayed  great  eloquence. 

In  a letter  I wrote  to  Mr.  Forrest  (one  of  the  Pennsylvania  dele- 
gation), I requested  him  to  tell  Hemphill  and  Sergeant  that  I thanked 
them  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart,  and  fancied  myself  hearing  from 
the  throne  of  the  Eternal,  “ Servants  of  God,  well  done  ! Well  have 
you  fought.” 

I shall  never  regret  having  come  to  Washington ; because  it  has 
given  me  an  opportunity  to  exert  my  best  efforts,  however  feeble,  to 
prevent  the  extension  of  slavery  in  our  country. 

February  15. 

Monroe  will  undoubtedly  be  on  the  side  of  the  slaveholding  States. 
They  would  turn  him  out  of  the  Presidency  if  he  should  swerve  from 
what  they  think  is  their  interest : I mean,  they  would  not  elect  him 
for  the  next  four  years.  Wood  in  our  House,  and  Eufus  King  in  the 
Senate,  have  made  great  speeches.  King  lashed  severely  those  who 
deserted  our  colors,  and  went  over  to  the  slave  side. 

This  great  debate  still  goes  on  with  unabated  zeal  and  new  splen- 
dors of  oratory ; and,  I am  happy  to  add,  hitherto  with  suitable 
deference  and  gentlemanly  demeanor  on  both  sides.  The  slave- 
holders, however,  put  on  the  boldest  front,  and  talk  big  about  civil 
war  and  separation.  I myself  apprehend  that  no  such  consequences 
would  result  from  the  restriction. 

February  22. 

Young  Plummer  of  New  Hampshire  has  made  an  excellent  speech. 
When  I see  such  young  men,  I am  proud  of  my  Yankee  countrymen. 
He  gave  the  mighty  Clay  the  severest  whipping  he  has  had  yet.  He 
ought  to  be  continued  in  Congress  many  years.  The  Southern  people 
keep  their  public  men  in,  and  derive  great  advantage  from  the  expe- 
rience they  attain  in  parliamentary  business.  We  in  New  England 
change  our  members  of  Congress  too  often. 

28 


218 


The  great  question  is  drawing  to  a conclusion.  Our  House  has 
refused  the  amendment  of  the  Senate.  Their  joining  Maine  and 
Missouri  together  has  given  us  anti-slavites  great  disgust. 

Clay  and  I have  become  quite  sociable,  notwithstanding  our  oppo- 
sition about  Missouri.  We  board  near  each  other,  and  frequently 
walk  home  together. 

March  3,  1820. 

At  length,  the  Missouri  question  is  disposed  of.  The  Senate  pro- 
posed a compromise,  which,  after  strenuous  exertions  on  both  sides, 
was  at  length  carried.  I opposed  it  as  long  as  I could,  but  am  now 
satisfied  it  ivas  the  best  that  could  be  done. 

Slavery  is  allowed  of  as  far  as  thirty-six  and  a half  degrees  of 
latitude.  Some  people  think  the  Missourians  themselves  will  inter- 
dict slavery  from  their  new  State.  It  would  be  their  present  glory 
and  permanent  happiness  if  they  should  do  so.  I feel  most  wofully 
mortified  and  cast  down  at  the  result  of  our  Missouri  Bill.  Four  of 
our  side  staid  out  at  the  final  taking  of  the  question  ; and  four  more 
went  over,  and  joined  the  slaveholders,  which  operated  as  equivalent 
to  eight  against  us.  The  whole  counted  as  twelve  against  us,  who 
ought  to  have  been  for  us.  Whether  this  proceeded  from  weakness 
or  treachery,  I will  not  pretend  to  say.  People  talk  pretty  much 
as  if  this  had  been  brought  about  by  sly,  underhand,  Executive  influ- 
ence. I do  not  pretend  to  judge,  or  to  form  any  opinion  about  it ; 
but,  if  there  were  strong  reasons  to  think  so,  Monroe  ought  to  be 
turned  out  the  next  Presidency.  I consider  our  nation  now  as  dis- 
graced in  the  eyes  of  the  civilized  nations  of  the  earth.  We  had  it  in 
our  power  to  stop  the  progress  of  slavery,  and  we  chose  to  let  it  go  on. 

I am  disgusted  with  the  pai’agraph  in  the  “ Patriot it  is  a project 
which  our  Republicans  have  got  up  to  gratify  their  own  dereliction 
of  principle,  and  to  try  to  make  the  public  believe  that  the  Missouri 
question  was  a party  business,  in  order  to  get  the  Federalists  into 
power  again. 


219 


April  21,  1820. 

We  are  commencing  on  the  new  Tariff  Bill,  the  design  of  which 
is  to  protect  our  own  manufactures.  I am  convinced  of  its  utility, 
and  feel  almost  as  much  interest  in  it  as  in  the  Missouri  question; 
but  I fear  we  shall  lose  this  as  we  did  that,  and  by  the  same  means,  — 
the  yielding  temper  of  the  Yankees. 

I am  glad  Mr.  Lloyd  wrote  to  you.  He  is  an  excellent  man,  and 
an  able  one.  I wish,  with  all  my  heart,  he  and  Quincy  were  again  on 
this  floor.  They  are  competent  to  the  business  of  Congress.  Legis- 
lation is  a science,  and  a difficult  one  too,  to  be  acquired,  like  all 
others,  by  study  and  practice. 

Mr.  Dowse  resigned  his  seat  in  Congress  ; when  he  returned 
home,  and  left  public  life.  During  his  later  years,  he  enjoyed  the 
sympathy  and  friendship  of  Horace  Mann,  then  a rising  lawyer  in 
the  town  of  Dedham;  who,  in  182$,  paid  the  following  tribute  to  his 
character : — 

“ No  one  could  enjoy  the  society  of  Mr.  Dowse  without  having  his 
ideas  of  the  compass  of  attainable  excellence  enhanced  and  multiplied. 
The  faculties  of  his  mind  would,  by  themselves,  have  been  conspicu- 
ous, had  they  not  been  outshone  by  the  qualities  of  his  heart.  With 
him,  not  honesty,  probity,  and  integrity  only,  but  kindness,  generosity, 
charity,  and  all  the  kindred  virtues,  were  duties  of  perfect  obligation. 

His  conversation  was  furnished  from  a mind  rich  in  the  treasures  of 

* 

knowledge.  His  studies  were  various  and  comprehensive  ; but  they 
did  not  result  alone  in  the  enlargement  of  intellect  or  the  improve- 
ment of  taste,  but  all  tended,  through  these,  to  a higher  and  nobler 
object,  — the  object  of  rendering  others  happy.  Hence  that  urbanity 
and  condescension  which  so  signally  characterized  his  deportment 
abroad,  and  taught  the  countenance  of  all  who  knew  him  to  assume 
involuntarily  the  expression  of  pleasure  at  his  approach ; and  that 
man  must  have  been  deeply  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  avarice,  who,  in 


220 


enjoying  his  hospitalities,  could  have  coveted  the  means  from  which 
they  flowed,  rather  than  the  manner  of  their  bestowment.  We  be- 
lieve there  never  was  a man  who  had  a higher  appreciation  of  moral 
excellence,  or  who  was  more  intensely  moved  at  the  recital  of  an  act 
of  generosity  or  forgiveness.  The  chords  of  his  sensibility  vibrated 
to  the  slightest  touch ; and  a stranger  would  have  regarded  the  keen- 
ness of  his  sympathies  at  the  sight  of  suffering  as  a misfortune,  until 
he  had  witnessed  the  liveliness  of  his  joy  in  relieving  it.  The  ex- 
pression may  strike  as  singular,  — we  choose  it  because  it  is  descrip- 
tive,— that,  in  the  wide  dispensation  of  his  bounties,  he  Avas  literally 
furtive  and  clandestine.  Not  only,  like  the  good  Samaritan,  did  he 
bind  up  the  wounds  of  those  -whom  he  accidentally  found  by  the  way- 
side  ; but,  as  the  common  air  rushes  to  fill  up  a vacuity,  he  sought 
for  objects  of  relief  wherever  affliction  was  to  be  consoled  or  the 
wants  of  poverty  supplied : and  yet,  through  all  this  godlike  diffusion 
of  benevolence,  the  injunction  of  Scripture  was  strictly  obeyed,  and 
the  right  hand  was  unknowing  of  the  beneficence  of  the  left.  That 
he  might  sometimes  bestow  injudiciously,  is  only  to  say  that  some- 
times his  generosity  triumphed  over  his  judgment, — a triumph  we 
must  surely  forgive  ; for,  in  that  contest,  it  is  seldom  the  victor. 
When  the  tendrils  of  affection  spring  forth  so  luxuriantly,  they  will 
sometimes  fasten  upon  unworthy  objects. 

“ Mr.  Dowse  was,  in  the  most  comprehensive  sense  of  the  word,  a 
Christian : not  a periodical  Christian,  at  morning  or  evening,  or  at 
church,  merely,  but  at  all  times  and  under  all  circumstances ; and 
evinced  the  deep  sincerity  of  his  faith  by  the  habitual  practices  of 
his  life  ; furnishing  daily  and  beautiful  illustrations,  how  much  more 
efficacious  are  the  lessons  of  the  exemplary  than  the  disputations  of 
the  polemical.” 


CHAPTEE  XI. 


After  having  been  elected  Mayor  of  Boston  five  successive  years, 
Mr.  Quincy  took  final  leave  of  that  office  on  the  3d  of  January,  1829 ; 
and,  on  the  15th,  was  chosen  President  of  Harvard  University.  The 
acceptance  of  a station  involving  such  great  responsibilities  was  at 
first  regarded  with  hesitation  by  Mrs.  Quincy.  To  relinquish  both 
her  favorite  abodes,  especially  her  home  at  Quincy,  and  remove  her 
family,  including  her  mother  Mrs.  Morton,  then  ninety  years  of  age, 
to  a new  residence,  appeared  an  arduous  enterprise  ; but  when  the 
claims  of  that  ancient  seminary,  in  which  she  had  long  taken  a great 
interest,  were  urged  by  her  friend  Dr.  Bowditch,  then  a leading  mem- 
ber of  the  corporation,  she  consented  that  Mr.  Quincy  should  accept 
the  appointment.  Once  determined,  her  arrangements  were  prompt 
and  judicious.  The  estate  at  Quincy  became  the  summer  residence 
of  her  eldest  son ; and  in  May,  1829,  her  family  was  removed  to  the 
President's  house,  which  had  been  repaired  and  arranged  under  her 
direction. 

The  inauguration  of  Mi’.  Quincy,  on  the  2d  of  June,  was  justly 
characterized  as  a day  of  enthusiasm.  Surrounded  by  troops  of 
friends,  and  received  by  the  officers  and  students  of  the  University 
with  every  testimony  of  pleasure  and  welcome,  the  crowded  levee 
and  the  brilliant  illumination  of  the  evening  closed  a day  of  high 
gratification. 


222 


The  following  letter  from  Dr.  Channing  was  written  at  this 
time : — 


To  Mrs.  Quincy , Cambridge. 

Boston,  June  2,  1829. 

My  dear  Friend,  — I grieve  that  I am  prevented  by  illness  from 
being  at  Cambridge  to-day ; but  my  heart  is  with  you.  I know  that 
one  will  not  be  missed  in  such  a crowd  as  will  surround  you.  Still,  I 
should  be  happy  to  express  by  my  presence  my  interest  in  the  occa- 
sion, my  affectionate  respect  for  Mr.  Quincy,  and  my  earnest  desire 
for  his  happiness  and  usefulness  in  the  new  relations  he  is  about  to 
sustain.  I feel  that  you  and  yours  are  to  be  carried  by  this  event  a 
little  farther  from  me ; but  I trust  a union  subsists  between  us  which 
nothing  can  dissolve. 

Very  respectfully  and  affectionately  yours, 

W.  E.  Channing. 

Mrs.  Craigie  (in  whose  mansion,  in  1795,  Mrs.  Quincy  had  been 
received  as  Miss  Morton)  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Wells,  long  her 
valued  friends,  were  among-  the  first  who  greeted  her  in  her  new 
residence.  The  hospitalities  of  Cambridge  were  cordially  recipro- 
cated ; and,  during  the  first  four  years  of  Mr.  Quincy’s  administration, 
the  President’s  house  was  thrown  open  one  evening  in  the  week, 
in  the  winter  season,  to  the  officers  and  students  of  the  college,  and 
to  the  general  society  of  the  town  and  vicinity.  During  sixteen 
years,  Mrs.  Quincy  was  only  once,  on  any  public  occasion,  prevented 
by  illness  from  receiving  her  friends. 

The  appointment  of  Judge  Story  as  Dane  Professor  of  Law,  and 
his  consequent  removal  to  Cambridge,  in  1829,  established  a perma- 
nent friendship  with  him  and  with  Mrs.  Story.  The  varied  infor- 
mation and  colloquial  power  for  which  Judge  Story  was  distinguished 
were  highly  appreciated.  In  his  evening  visits,  he  often  described 


223 


f 


liis  experience  at  the  bar,  or  the  great  luminaries  of  the  law  with 
whom  he  corresponded  or  associated. 

At  this  period,  Mrs.  Quincy  had  the  pleasure  of  hearing  the  cele-  * 

brated  poem  entitled  “ Curiosity  ” spoken  by  her  friend  Charles 
Sprague,  before  the  Phi  Beta  Society  of  Harvard  in  1829;  and  also 
his  Centennial  Ode  on  the  17th  of  September,  1830,  when  Mr.  Quincy 
delivered  an  oration  on  the  two  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  settle- 
ment of  Boston,  — an  occasion  to  her  of  high  gratification. 

In  October,  1830,  Dr.  Holbrook  of  Milton  passed  the  day  with 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quincy,  and  gave  an  account  of  his  residence  in  Cam- 
bridge during  the  siege  of  Boston  in  1775,  when  he  was  attached  to 
the  medical  staff  of  the  American  Army.  “ The  President’s  house 
was  given  to  the  commissary  of  the  army,”  said  Dr.  Holbrook;  “ and 
I was  quartered  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Phips,  in  the  neighborhood.  The 
colleges  were  much  injured  by  the  garrison.  The  rooms  in  Harvard 
Hall,  except  the  one  then  used  as  a library,  were  filled  with  barrels 
of  salt  beef,  brought  by  the  country  people  for  the  army.  One  day, 
during  the  siege  of  Boston,  a shell  thrown  by  the  British  from  Copp’s 
Hill  struck  the  ground  in  the  square  near  the  President’s  house. 

The  fuze  was  yet  burning ; and  a soldier  went  and  stamped  it  out,  at 
the  risk  of  his  life.” 

Dr.  Holbrook  regarded  with  interest  the  portrait,  by  Copley,  of 
Josiah  Quincy  of  Braintree;  and  said,  “How  proud  my  old  friend 
Avould  be  to  see  all  that  I do  at  this  day,  and  his  grandson,  whom 
I remember  at  his  house  as  a schoolboy,  at  the  head  of  the  Uni- 
versity ! A few  Avecks  before  the  death  of  Colonel  Quincy,  in  conver- 
sation with  me,  he  declaimed  against  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati, 
with  as  much  Amhemence  as  if  he  had  been  speaking  in  a legislative 
assembly.  He  thought  it  an  aristocratic  institution,  unsuitable  to 
this  country.” 

In  1831,  Mrs.  Quincy  visted  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Daniel  Wadsworth  in 
Hartford  and  at  Monte  Video,  Mr.  Silliman  and  Mrs.  Salisbury  and 


224 


their  families  at  New  Haven,  and  those  of  Mrs.  Dana  and  Mr.  Pome- 
roy at  Middletown ; and  enjoyed  the  society  of  these  favorite  friends. 
The  health  of  her  mother,  Mrs.  Maria  Sophia  Morton,  remained 
unimpaired  until  September,  1832.  Having  passed  twelve  years  in 
the  family  of  Mr.  Quincy,  she  departed,  after  a short  illness,  on  the 
22d  of  September,  1832  ; and  it  was  a remarkable  incident,  that 
in  closing,  in  the  President’s  house  at  Cambridge,  a life  of  ninety- 
three  years  commenced  on  the  banks  of  the  Rhine,  she  was  attended, 
not  only  by  her  daughter  and  her  grand-children,  but  also  by  her 
sister  Mrs.  Jackson  (Susan  Kemper).  Preserving  her  mind  and 
life-long  habits  of  industry  and  order,  she  read  her  Bible,  her  German 
hymn-book,  and  other  religious  works ; kept  a slight  diary  of  daily 
occurrences  ; and,  though  a strict  Calvinist,  willingly  attended  the 
Unitarian  church  in  Cambridge  until  a fortnight  previous  to  her 
death. 

In  January,  1833,  Mrs.  Quincy  was  summoned  to  Dedham  by  the 
decease  of  Mrs.  Shaw,  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven ; who,  by  the  ex- 
cellence and  benevolence  of  her  character,  commanded  the  respect  of 
all  around  her ; and,  by  her  affection  for  her  nephew  and  his  family, 
deserved  and  received  every  filial  attention.  The  portrait  of  Major 
Shaw,  in  her  apartment,  recalled  to  Mrs.  Quincy  scenes  of  her  early  life 
in  New  York,  during  his  engagement  to  Miss  Bowman  ; and  it  seemed 
a singular  coincidence,  that,  in  this  distant  time  and  place,  she  should 
stand  toward  his  widow  in  the  relation  of  an  adopted  child. 

The  Marquis  Charles  Torrigiani,  an  intelligent  and  accomplished 
young  Italian,  — - who,  after  his  return  to  Florence,  attempted  to 
improve  the  lower  classes  in  his  native  city  by  the  establishment 
of  monitorial  schools,  — brought  letters  to  Mr.  Quincy  in  August. 
He  was  accompanied  by  James  Thai  of  St.  Petersburg,  who  was 
remarkable  for  his  skill  in  music  and  his  knowledge  of  languages ; 
and,  by  his  attainments  in  mathematics,  he  had  become  a corre- 
spondent of  Dr.  Bowditch. 


225 


Among  the  visitors  of  these  years  were  Spurzheim,  Audubon,  Dr. 
Julius  of  Berlin,  Washington  Irving,  and  many  other  eminent  men. 

On  the  4th  of  September,  1833,  the  two  hundredth  anniversary  of 
the  landing  of  Edmund  Quincy  of  England  was  celebrated,  on  the 
estate  he  purchased  of  the  Indians,  by  a family  meeting  of  his  de- 
scendants. Mrs.  S.  R.  Miller,  the  mother  of  Mrs.  J.  Quincy,  jun.,  who 
then  passed  the  summer  months  with  her  daughter  at  Quincy,  took 
great  interest  in  the  occasion,  and  contributed  by  her  taste  to  the 
decoration  of  the  old  mansion,  and  the  reception  of  a party  of  guests. 
A parchment,  prepared  for  the  purpose,  was  signed  by  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Quincy  and  Mrs.  Miller  and  the  rest  of  the  family,  as  a memorial  of 
the  day,  to  be  transmitted  to  the  future  representatives  of  the  name. 

The  course  of  the  Revolution  in  France,  in  which  Lafayette  was 
engaged,  in  1830,  was  watched  by  his  friends  in  Cambridge  with 
great  interest.  The  captain  of  an  American  ship,  who  was  in  France 
at  that  time,  and  who  was  acquainted  with  Lafayette,  said  the  Gene- 
ral told  him,  that,  the  night  the  Revolution  began  in  Paris,  his  family, 
knowing  he  was  regarded  as  its  leader,  insisted  on  his  leaving  his 
own  mansion.  He  went  to  the  house  of  one  of  his  daughters ; and, 
before  morning,  the  royal  troops  took  possession  of  the  lower  story. 
Lafayette  saw  them  from  the  staircase ; but  they  were  unconscious 
that  he  was  thus  accidentally  their  prisoner.  He  kept  quiet ; and,  the 
nest  morning,  a conflict  took  place  in  the  street  before  the  house. 
The  royalists  were  defeated,  and  left  the  premises  ; and  he  was  again 
at  liberty. 

Lafayette  had  continued  to  write  every  year  to  Mr.  Quincy  until 
this  period,  when  his  engagements  obliged  him  to  employ  a secretary; 
but  he  always  signed  his  letters,  and  sent  a message  to  Mrs.  Quincy 
with  his  own  hand.  Her  daughter  Mrs.  B.  D.  Greene  (Margaret  M. 
Quincy),  with  Mr.  Greene,  visited  La  Grange  in  1833,  and  were 
received  with  great  affection  by  Lafayette,  who  spoke  with  enthusiasm 
of  his  visit  to  America,  remembering  the  most  trivial  circumstances. 

29 


226 


On  the  29th  of  March,  1834,  Lafayette  cut  from  a Paris  newspaper 
his  last  communication  to  the  Chamber  of  Deputies,' and  enclosed  it  to 
Mr.  Quincy  with  a note  written  by  his  secretary.  It  was  received  by 
his  friends  on  the  21st  of  May,  1834,  — the  day  on  which  his  eventful 
life  was  terminated. 

After  an  interval  of  thirty  years,  Mrs.  Quincy  received  the  follow- 
ing note  from  her  early  friend,  Mrs.  Browne  : — 

Mrs.  E.  S.  Quincy. 

Frankfort,  Kentucky,  June  24,  1835. 

My  dear  Friend,  — My  son  Mason  Browne  having  determined  on 
a journey  eastward,  I cannot  deny  myself  the  pleasure  of  introducing 
him  to  you  and  Mr.  Quincy.  I have  forfeited  your  correspondence 
by  a long  silence  ; but,  I trust,  not  your  friendship. 

Though  my  personal  appearance  has,  of  course,  much  changed 
since  we  parted,  yet  time  has  kindly  spared  “ whate’er  of  mental 
grace  was  ever  mine.”  And  as  a proof  that,  whatever  poets  say  to 
the  contrary,  Fancy  does  sometimes  live  to  be  old,  I spend  some  most 
delightful  moments  in  reperusing  the  letters  which  passed  between 
“ the  knot  ” at  Miss  Ledyard’s  school,  when  you  were  Amelia  Beau- 
mont ; and  I,  Harriet  Yilliers  : and,  while  thus  employed,  how  many 
youthful  visions  rise  before  me  ! I do  not  think  the  present  mode 
of  education  enjoys  all  the  advantages  over  that  of  which  we  were 
the  subjects,  which  might  be  expected  from  the  time  and  money  ex- 
pended on  its  attainment.  It  appears  to  me  like  the  faint  outline  of  a 
picture  sketched  by  the  hand  of  a master ; but  which,  wanting  due 
proportions  of  light  and  shade,  leaves  a large  part  of  the  canvas  to 
offend  the  eye.  Bevisiting  New  York  after  an  absence  of  twelve 
years,  I had  heard  so  much  of  improvements  in  education,  that  I ex- 
pected to  find  a generation  of  De  Staels  and  S^vignes ; but,  with  the 
exception  of  a decided  improvement  in  orthography  and  penmanship, 


227 


nothing  was  altered  for  the  better.  The  style  of  conversation  was  as 
uninteresting  as  I had  ever  known  it,  and  the  knowledge  of  general 
literature  very  superficial.  I therefore  think  that  our  acquirements, 
though  less  varied,  were  more  substantial,  and  perhaps  more  intel- 
lectual, than  those  of  the  present  day : I mean,  generally.  There 
are  glorious  exceptions. 

I rejoice  that  you  are  so  fortunate  in  your  domestic  relations. 
Though  I may  never  witness  your  happiness,  fancy  often  transports 
me  to  your  fireside. 

In  vain  I try  to  realize  the  change  which  years  must  have  caused. 
I still  see  the  same  youthful  and  animated  features,  — the  same  Miss 
Morton  whom  Dr.  Miller  used  to  describe  as  all  intellectuality. 

Ever  yours,  Margaret  Browne. 

To  Mrs.  Browne. 

Cambridge,  July  20,  1S35. 

Mv  dear  Friend, — Your  pen,  like  the  fabled  wand  of  the  magi- 
cian, with  a touch  causes  past  scenes  to  be  represented  as  in  a mirror. 
What  mysterious  powers  are  folded  up  in  our  minds  ! I could  not 
sleep  the  night  after  receiving  your  letter.  But  I must  arrest  the 
tide  of  recollection ; yet  it  is  difficult,  when  the  flood-gates  are  once 
raised,  to  shut  them  down  again.  Let  this  evince  that  memory  and 
feeling,  as  well  as  fancy,  can  live  to  be  our  solace.  . . . How  dif- 
ferently education  is  now  conducted  from  that  which  we  received ! 
Yet  we  did  acquire  as  much  solid  and  useful  information  as  our 
successors  do,  with  all  their  advantages.  Perhaps,  because  we  had 
to  work  it  out  for  ourselves,  it  became  more  our  own.  The  beautiful 
passages  from  our  favorite  poets,  which  I even  then  admired,  remain 
fixed  in  my  memory. 

You  have  not  adverted  to  our  enacting  Miss  More’s  “ Search 
after  Happiness,”  and  Madame  Genlis’  “ Dove  ” and  “ The  Milliner,” 
in  our  schoolroom,  the  stage  ornamented  with  evergreens,  with  our 


228 


parents  and  friends,  Governor  Clinton,  and  several  clergymen,  for 
our  audience.  But  my  recollections  of  you  go  yet  farther  back, — 
to  visiting  you  in  our  house  at  Baskinridge,  which  was  taken  by  your 
father  after  we  removed  to  Elizabethtown,  preparatory  to  our  return 
to  New  York. 

Have  you  read  the  “ Memoir  and  Correspondence  ” of  Miss  More? 
Her  biographer  is  dull ; but  the  book  is  delightful  when  she  and  her 
friends  are  allowed  to  speak  for  themselves,  — her  introduction  to  Dr. 
Johnson,  Garrick,  Mr.  Montagu,  Horace  Walpole,  and  their  letters. 
I have  derived  the  same  kind  of  pleasure  from  the  “ Memoir  of  Dr. 
Burney,”  by  Madame  D’Arblay.  Her  style  is  too  absurd  for  criticism. 
During  her  long  detention  in  France,  she  seems  to  have  lost  her 
native  tongue  : but  her  letters  to  Mr.  Crisp  are  charming  ; the 
account  of  her  conversations  with  Dr.  Johnson  ; his  quotations  from 
“ Evelina,”  Ac.  This  work  seemed  like  a rejuvenescence  to  me,  so 
sensibly  did  it  recall  the  exquisite  pleasure  of  first  reading  “ Evelina.” 
These  feelings  relative  to  a sterling  work  of  talent  will  almost  answer 
your  question  of  my  opinion  of  the  heterogeneous  mass  of  literature 
which  is  now  flooding  the  public.  I am  almost  certain  I should  agree 
in  your  views,  be  they  ever  so  much  at  variance  with  those  generally 
held.  Miss  Edgeworth  has  always  been  a great  favorite  ; and  a cor- 
respondence we  have  had  with  her  has  resulted  in  a greater  degree  of 
admiration  of  the  qualities  of  her  mind  and  heart. 

Have  you  read  the  works  of  Jane  Austen?  They  are  very  differ- 
ent from  those  of  Miss  Edgeworth  ; but,  in  their  own  style,  most 
admirable,  — presenting  perfect  pictures  of  daily,  hourly  experience 
of  characters  and  manners  in  real  life.  You  will  derive  pleasure  from 
them,  if  they  happen  to  suit  your  taste.  I say,  if;  for  they  are  not 
universally  appreciated.  They  were  first  mentioned  to  us  by  Judge 
Story,  to  whom  they  were  recommended  by  Judge  Marshall.  High 
authority,  certainly.  Ever  yours, 


Eliza  S.  Quincy. 


229 


To  Mrs.  Quincy. 

Frankfort,  March  26,  1836. 

My  dear  Friend,  — I most  cordially  agree  in  your  admiration 
of  Miss  Edgeworth.  Her  “ To-morrow  ” has  been  of  more  use  to 
me  than  all  the  other  fictitious  writings  I ever  read  ; and  all  her 
stories  convey  striking  lessons,  which  may  be  introduced  into  the 
every-day  business  of  life  with  the  happiest  results.  I remember 
acting  in  the  “ Search  after  Happiness,”  as  if  it  had  been  last  night ; 
and  your  appearance,  as  a French  milliner,  in  your  mother’s  dress. 
I recollect  much  more  of  Governor  Clinton’s  kind  assistance  in  fitting 
up  our  stage  than  I do  of  any  act  of  his  administration. 

I have  read  the  “ Life  of  Dr.  Burney  ” with  great  interest,  and 
feel  inclined  to  bury  the  egotist  in  the  daughter.  Madame  D’ArblayV 
own  history  was  so  interwoven  with  that  of  her  father  and  the  other 
literary  personages  of  the  day,  that  she  could  not,  in  justice  to  herself, 
omit  the  circumstances  she  narrates.  How  often  have  I wished  that 
Beattie’s  “ Minstrel”  and  “Evelina”  could  be  erased  from  my  memory, 
that  I might  again  revel  in  the  delightful  emotions  a first  perusal 
occasioned. 

As  to  the  effect  produced  by  the  present  increase  and  circulation 
of  new  books,  to  judge  from  my  own  experience,  I should  think 
it  deleterious : the  mind  becomes  distracted  by  variety,  and  indis- 
posed to  systematic  study.  Do  you  think  that  either  you  or  I,  if 
we  were  fourteen  years  of  age,  would  now  become  as  conversant 
as  we  then  were  with  the  English  classics  and  poets,  which  are  now 
reposing  in  sullen  dignity  on  our  book-shelves,  while  every  table  is 
littered  with  annuals  and  monthly  and  weekly  journals  ? I often  feel 
bewildered  like  a child  with  a number  of  new  toys,  who  knows  not 
which  to  play  with,  but  looks  first  at  one,  then  at  another,  without 
examining  any.  . . . But  I fear  I am  trespassing  on  your  patience. 

Affectionately  yours, 


Margaret  Browne. 


230 


To  Mrs.  Quincy , Cambridge. 

Tremont  House,  Boston,  June  25,  1836. 

My  dear  Friend,  — I can  scarcely  believe  the  evidence  of  my 
senses  when  they  inform  me  that  I am  in  Boston,  and  within  a few 
miles  of  your  residence  ; yet  I am  determined  to  act  in  accordance 
with  the  delig'htful  impression,  and  inform  you  that  Mr.  Browne  and 
myself  arrived  yesterday,  and  intend  to  pass  a few  days  here.  Dur- 
ing that  time,  I hope  no  impediment  will  prevent  our  seeing  you 
and  Mr.  Quincy. 

Affectionately  yours, 

Margaret  Browne. 

Absence  from  home,  on  a tour  to  Stockbridge,  prevented  Mrs. 
Quincy  from  responding ; but  every  attention  was  immediately  paid 
by  Mr.  Quincy  and  his  family  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Browne,  at  Cambridge 
and  Boston.  They  extended  their  tour  to  Portsmouth,  to  give  time 
for  Mrs.  Quincy  to  return  home;  and,  on  the  4th  of  July,  the  long- 
parted  friends  met  at  Cambridge,  after  a separation  of  almost  forty 
years,  and  passed  the  day  together.  Extracts  from  their  subsequent 
correspondence  will  evince  the  pleasure  conferred  by  this  inter- 
view : — 

To  Mrs.  Quincy. 

Frankfort,  Kentucky,  Sept.  7,  1836. 

My  dear  Friend,  - — For  the  first  time  in  my  life,  I feel  some  em. 
barrassment  in  addressing  you ; for  never,  until  my  visit  to  Boston, 
did  I suspect  that  my  letters  were  so  carefully  preserved : and  I now 
feel  as  if  I ought  to  write  something  worthy  of  the  consequence  you 
have  kindly  attached  to  our  correspondence.  Hitherto  I have  written 
hastily,  for  my  pen  could  not  keep  pace  with  the  sentiments  demand- 
ing utterance  ; and  now,  with  those  feelings  rendered  still  more 


231 


intense  by  our  recent  interview,  notwithstanding  my  wish  to  write 
you  a very  pretty  letter,  I find  I must  abandon  the  attempt. 

Our  journey  home  was  diversified  by  passing  through  Virginia, 
where  the  roads  were  bad,  the  country  mountainous,  and  the  stages 
disagreeably  crowded.  And  then  the  contrast  between  the  old  de- 
cayed towns  of  the  Ancient  Dominion  and  the  apparently  new  and 
flourishing  towns  of  New  England  was  greatly  to  the  disadvantage  of 
the  former.  I say,  apparently  new ; because  many  of  the  towns  must 
be  old  : but  they  were  so  neatly  painted  white,  and  ornamented  with 
green  shutters,  that  they  appeared  as  if  they  had  all  sprung  up  by 
enchantment ; and,  had  Lafayette  been  passing  through  the  country, 
I should  have  imagined  that  they  had  all  put  on  their  holiday  dresses 
in  honor  of  the  occasion. 

One  charm  which  the  Eastern  cities  possess,  consists,  in  my  opi- 
nion, in  the  stationary  character  of  their  inhabitants.  One  generation 
succeeds  another,  not  only  in  the  course  of  time,  but  in  the  place  of 
their  abode.  Their  successors  become  identified  with  the  same  places, 
cultivate  the  same  tastes,  adopt  the  same  opinions,  and  perpetuate  the 
same  friendships.  With  us  in  the  Far  West,  every  thing  is  changing. 
Here  in  Frankfort,  containing  two  thousand  inhabitants,  there  are  but 
four  families,  who  were  housekeepers  thirty-five  years  ago,  who  con- 
tinue to  be  such.  Many  have  died,  but  most  have  gone  to  seek  their 
fortunes  still  farther  west.  The  emigration  usually  commences  with 
the  younger  members  of  the  family : and  then  the  aged  parents  prac- 
tically at  last  declare,  “ Where  ye  go,  I will  go  ,*  and  there  will  I be 
buried.” 

Thank  Mr.  Quincy  for  his  kind  and  unwearied  attentions ; which,  I 
fear,  interfered  with  his  more  important  avocations,  but  which  have 
left  as  lasting  an  impression  as  any  he  ever  bestowed.  To  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Greene,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  Quincy,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edmund  Quincy, 
and  those  daughters  who  are  inmates  of  your  happy  home,  I desire  to 
be  affectionately  remembered.  I delight  to  bring  them  before  me  in 


232 


imagination,  and  to  recall  their  features  beaming  with  kindness  to  one 
so  recently  known,  and  manners  unequivocally  expressive  of  that 
kindness. 

Ever  yours,  Margaret  Browne. 


To  Miss  Quincy. 

Frankfort,  Feb.  3,  1837. 

My  dear  Friend,  — Since  the  date  of  your  last  letter,  a new  year 
has  opened  upon  our  world ; and  though  the  customary  period  for 
congratulation  has  passed  away,  yet,  as  there  is  sufficient  time  remain- 
ing for  the  enjoyment  of  much  happiness  and  the  suffering  of  much 
sorrow,  it  cannot  be  too  late  even  now  to  express  my  earnest  wish 
that  a kind  Providence  may  continue  to  bestow  its  richest  blessings 
upon  my  friends. 

Sincerely  do  I sympathize  with  your  mother  on  the  death  of  her 
brother,  General  Morton.  Your  reflection,  that  there  was  cause  for 
thankfulness  on  his  account,  the  suddenness  of  his  departure  having- 
saved  him  from  the  anguish  of  an  anticipated  separation  from  his 
family,  coincides  perfectly  with  my  own  sentiments. 

You  told  me,  when  in  Cambridge,  that  you  expected  a letter  from 
Miss  Edgeworth.  Has  it  arrived  ? or  are  you  in  possession  of  any  facts 
relative  to  her  present  employments  ? If  so,  be  so  kind  as  to  commu- 
nicate them.  Tell  your  mother,  that,  after  several  attempts,  I have  at 
last  procured  a copy  of  “ Evelina.”  I sent  first  to  Philadelphia,  but 
it  could  not  be  found ; then  to  Louisville,  and  was  successful.  How 
often  do  we  seek  for  enjoyments  at  a distance,  only  to  be  found  at 
home  ! — a trite  reflection,  but  brought  to  mind  by  this  little  circum- 
stance, accompanied  at  present  by  a striking  exception  in  my  expe- 
rience. Although  I have  the  usual  attachments  to  home,  yet  I would 
cheerfully  ti-avel  a thousand  miles  to  enjoy  one  week  of  uninterrupted 
intercourse  with  your  father’s  family.  Pre-eminently  as  I love  your 


233 


mother,  she  has,  since  my  visit  to  Boston,  acquired  an  additional 
claim  to  my  affection,  as  being  the  means  of  introducing  me  to  her 
husband  and  children. 

Yours  affectionately,  Margaret  Browne. 

The  character  of  the  eldest  brother  of  Mrs.  Quincy,  whose  depart- 
ure is  mentioned  in  the  preceding  letter,  was  thus  correctly  delineated 
by  one  of  his  contemporaries  in  New  York : “ General  Morton  was  a 
zealous  and  indefatigable  public  servant.  He  had  held  a commission 
half  a century,  and  was  perhaps  the  oldest  militia  general  in  the 
world,  and  a beloved  and  respected  chief.  He  also  held  many  civil 
appointments ; was  clerk  of  the  Common  Council,  through  all  the 
dangers  of  party  politics,  for  twenty-five  years ; and  had  been  district 
attorney,  alderman,  and  member  of  the  Legislature.  In  all  these 
various  capacities,  he  was  a conspicuous  exemplar  of  a good  citizen 
and  an  excellent  man.  He  was  at  the  head  of  good  society  in  New 
York,  and  was  a gentleman  of  the  old  school,  affable  and  courteous  in 
his  deportment,  of  unbounded  hospitality,  and  generous  almost  to  a 
fault ; full  of  that  pleasant  cheerfulness  and  agreeable  repartee  which 
mutually  excite  kind  feelings.  He  had  been  in  familiar  intercourse 
with  all  the  remarkable  personages  who  have  adorned  the  United 
States  since  they  became  a nation ; officiated  as  aid-marshal  at  the 
first  inauguration  of  President  Washington,  and  was  intimate  with 
that  great  man.  He  was  the  friend  of  Hamilton,  Jay,  Lafayette,  and 
many  other  eminent  men  of  that  day ; and  was  said  to  resemble 
Madison  in  features,  manners,  and  person.  On  all  public  occa- 
sions, his  mansion  was  the  centre  of  the  festivities  of  the  celebration. 
He  was  fortunate  even  in  the  manner  of  his  departure.  At  the  age 
of  seventy-four,  with  a friendly  salutation  on  his  lips,  he  passed  in- 
stantaneously away.  Every  tribute  of  honor  and  respect  was  paid 
to  his  memory  by  the  civil  and  military  authorities  and  by  the  bar  of 
New  York.” 


30 


234 


To  Mrs.  Browne. 

Cambridge,  Feb.  28,  1837. 

“ I would  cheerfully  travel  a thousand  miles  to  enjoy  one  week  of 
uninterrupted  intercourse  with  your  father’s  family.” 

My  dear  Friend,  — Your  letter  is  addressed  to  my  daughter,  who 
claims  a right  to  acknowledge  it;  but  I must  be  insensible  to  every 
endearing  recollection,  if  I were  not  impelled  to  answer,  in  every 
sense  of  the  word,  such  an  expression  of  feeling.  It  is  a delightful 
assurance  of  the  reality  of  human  friendship  to  meet  an  instance  like 
yours,  not  to  be  diminished  or  effaced  by  time  or  absence.  It  came 
at  a moment,  too,  when  I was  mourning  the  sudden  departure  of  al- 
most the  last  of  the  family  circle  that  surrounded  my  early  days. 
I have  made  me  new  and  cherished  ties ; “ have  bound  congenial 
spirits  to  me : ” yet  I look  back  with  intense  interest  to  those  of 
my  youthful  affection,  and  rejoice  to  find  in  you  one  still  left  me, 
associated  with  my  earliest  recollections,  and  alive  to  every  sentiment 
of  friendship. 

I shall  leave  to  my  daughter  the  other  parts  of  your  letter ; but  I 
must  tell  you,  that,  on  the  occasion  of  the  late  beautiful  aurora,  we 
expressed  a hope  that  it  extended  to  the  Far  West,  and  that  you  were 
observing  it.  Thus  we  may  have  annihilated  space  and  time,  and  met 
in  spirit  to  admire  the  wonderful  order  of  the  universe,  the  stars,  and 
all  their  shining  train.  I now  give  the  pen  to  your  younger  corre- 
spondent, happy  in  having  secured  for  her  the  privilege  of  your 
friendship  without  resigning  my  own  share. 

Eliza  S.  Quincy. 

To  Mrs.  and  Miss  Quincy. 

Frankfort,  May  18,  1837. 

My  dear  Friends,  — In  acknowledging  your  joint  letter,  I have 
a double  pleasure  before  me.  If  I do  not  answer  each  separately,  it 
is  because  I find  such  an  identity  of  pursuits  and  sentiments  between 


235 


you,  that,  in  writing  to  both,  I feel  as  if  addressing  one;  and,  in  ad- 
dressing one,  you  are  both  equally  present  to  my  imagination.  How 
gratifying  it  is  to  find  myself  regarded  with  the  same  affection  by  the 
daughter  as  by  the  mother.  This  same  manifestation  of  regard 
affected  me  most  sensibly  on  my  arrival  at  Boston.  I was  prepared 
for  an  affectionate  reception  from  you,  and  a kind  one  from  Mr. 
Quincy ; but  I was  not  prepared  for  the  warm  and  animated  welcome 
I received  from  your  children,  upon  whom  I had  no  claim  but  that  of 
being  their  mother’s  friend.  The  manner  in  which  I was  received 
upon  that  claim  afforded  a most  delightful  evidence  of  filial  devotion, 
which  needed  no  other  recommendation ; and  the  unity  of  sentiment 
prevailing  among  all  the  branches  of  your  family  came  completely 
up  to  my  beau-ideal  of  domestic  happiness. 

Since  I received  your  communication  respecting  Mexican  anti- 
quities, I have  read  with  deep  interest  the  articles  in  the  “ Foreign 
Quarterly  ” to  which  you  refer.  What  a mournful  lesson  do  these 
researches  teach  us  of  our  own  evanescent  existence,  not  only  indi- 
vidually, but  as  a nation  ! We,  too,  must  share  the  fate  of  our 
progenitors ; and  our  very  existence  may  become  a subject  of 
speculation.  How  humiliating  would  be  these  reflections,  were  it 
not  that  we  have  that  within  us  which  cannot  be  destroyed  by  the 
lapse  of  ages. 

“ The  sun  itself  is  but  a spark  of  fire,  — a transient  meteor  in  the  sky : 

The  soul,  immortal  as  its  Sire,  shall  never  die.” 

Your  ever-affectionate  friend, 

Margaret  Browne. 


This  correspondence  was  sustained  until  September,  1838 ; when 
Mrs.  Browne,  having  survived  her  husband  one  year,  passed  away 
without  a previous  illness,  highly  esteemed  by  all  around  her,  and 
deeply  regretted  by  her  family  and  friends. 


236 


From  the  correspondence  with  Miss  Edgeworth,  mentioned  in  the 
preceding  letters  as  a source  of  great  pleasure  to  Mrs.  Quincy,  an 
extract  relative  to  her  friend  John  Adams  is  here  inserted:  — 


To  Miss  Quincy,  Cambridge,  Massachusetts. 

Edgeworthtown,  Aug.  28,  1835. 

I was  much  interested  in  your  account  of  your  “ Lord  Old- 
borough,”  * as  you  are  so  kind  to  me  as  to  call  an  incomparably  more 
useful  and  greater  man.  The  scale  of  merit,  as  of  nature,  in  your 
new  world,  is  far  larger  and  higher  than  in  our  old  world.  You 
could  not  have  written  any  page  more  interesting  to  me  about  any 
one  great  man  of  our  times  than  that  which  you  wrote  for  me  on 
the  life  and  death  of  John  Adams,  that  true  patriot.  The  circum- 
stances of  his  death  are  most  striking : “ Retaining  his  intellectual 
and  moral  faculties  to  the  age  of  ninety,  and  expiring  on  the  anni- 
versary of  the  day  on  which  he  signed  the  Declaration  of  American 
Independence,  — the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  that  day,  and  at  the  very 
hour,  the  very  moment,  of  the  celebration  of  that  event  through- 
out your  far-extended  Union,  of  which  his  own  son  was  at  that  time 
President,” — is  altogether  such  a sublime,  moral  coincidence,  such 
a happy  close  of  such  a life,  as  no  previous  biography,  no  history, 
ancient  or  modern,  as  far  as  I can  call  to  mind,  has  ever  before  had 
to  record. 

One  of  the  most  glorious  of  poetic  deaths,  as  far  as  mere  mortal 
fame  was  concerned,  was  his  who  was  smothered,  as  it  is  said,  with 
garlands  at  the  Olympic  games  ; but  what  are  those  paltry  garlands, 
compared  with  the  American  patriot’s  obsequies  ? 

The  wisest  of  the  ancients,  if  I recollect  rightly,  pronounced  hap- 
piest the  death  of  the  two  youths  who  had  drawn  their  mother  to  the 


A character  in  “ Patronage,”  — a novel  by  Miss  Edgeworth. 


237 


Temple  of  Juno,  and  who  lay  down  to  sleep  after  that  pious  action, 
and  never  wakened  from  that  sleep  ; but  what  is  this,  compared  with 
the  happy  death  of  your  venerable  President,  sinking  to  sleep  amidst 
his  country’s  celebration  of  a life  of  virtue  and  its  most  glorious  act  ? 
Compare  his  closing  hour  with  the  sad,  ignoble,  pitiful,  unpitied  end 
of  the  Emperor  Napoleon. 

You  may  judge  by  the  train  of  thoughts  which  have  flowed  in 
perhaps  too  abundantly  to  my  pen,  upon  this  subject,  how  much  your 
description  and  the  facts  you  told  me  interested  me.  . . . 

Gratefully  yours, 


Maria  Edgeworth. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


While  sustaining  the  bonds  of  early  affection,  Mrs.  Quincy  was  ever 
ready  to  extend  the  range  of  her  friendships.  Having  formed 
an  acquaintance  with  Mrs.  Ballestier,*  who  was  soon  to  embark 
for  Singapore  (Mr.  Ballestier  having  been  appointed  United- States 
consul  at  that  place),  Mrs.  Quincy  recommended  to  her  notice 
a “ Memoir  of  Sir  Stamford  Raffles,”  which  she  had  then  recently 
read.  This  incident  caused  a correspondence,  from  which  the  fol- 
lowing extracts  are  given  : — 

To  Mrs.  Quincy,  Cambridge,  Massachusetts. 

Singapore,  April  13,  1837. 

Mv  dear  Madam,  — Your  just  appreciation  of  the  character  and 
the  efforts  of  Sir  Stamford  Raffles  in  founding  the  English  colony 
here,  induces  me  to  ask  your  acceptance  of  some  nutmegs  from  the 
garden  laid  out  by  his  direction,  and  some  specimens  of  the  pitcher- 
plant,  or,  as  the  natives  call  it,  “ the  monkey-cup.”  The  flowers 
grow,  as  you  will  observe,  suspended  at  the  end  of  the  leaves  ; and, 


* A daughter  of  Paul  Eevere,  whose  name  is  of  historical  interest  from  the  notice  he  gave 
of  the  movement  of  British  troops  by  exhibiting  lights  in  the  tower  of  the  North  Church,  the 
night  previous  to  the  19th  of  April,  1775. 


239 


when  brought  to  me,  were  half  full  of  water  and  insects.  The  smaller 
specimens  were  a beautiful  green.  I have  filled  them  with  the  Siam 
cotton,  also  a curiosity,  as  it  grows  on  a lofty  tree,  in  large  green 
pods.  I also  send  one  of  the  marine  productions  of  the  waters  of 
Singapore,  fancifully  called  Neptune’s  cup.  Beautiful  varieties  of  co- 
ral are  also  found  here,  but  are  not  so  rare  as  these  natural  vases, 
some  of  which  will  hold  several  gallons.  They  seem  of  the  nature 
of  sponge,  but  are  much  harder,  and  will  stand  the  sun  and  rains  of 
a tropical  climate  for  months.  I have  several  of  them  on  the  portico 
and  in  the  border  of  my  garden,  in  which  I place  my  plants. 

Singapore,  Oct.  29,  1838. 

Your  very  interesting  letter  of  December  last  reached  me  in  safety 
after  its  long  voyage  ; and  it  gave  me  great  pleasure  to  hear  that 
the  dried  plants  were  in  good  preservation.  I now  ask  your  accept- 
ance of  some  costumes  from  Madras,  which,  although  rudely  drawn, 
are  faithful ; and  also  of  two  paintings  of  fruits  peculiar  to  the  Straits 
of  Malacca,  — the  Mangostein  and  the  Durian.  They  will  have  an 
interest  for  you,  as  executed  by  an  old  draughtsman  of  Sir  Stamford 
Raffles,  now  a cripple  ; but,  though  confined  to  his  couch,  he  supports 
himself  by  painting  the  fruits,  flowers,  and  birds  of  the  Straits.  To 
those  who  can  overcome  the  odor  and  first  taste  of  the  Durian,  it  is  a 
delicious  fruit.  The  Mangostein  is  beautiful  to  the  eye,  and  delicious 
to  the  taste ; but,  with  me,  does  not  bear  comparison  with  the  peach. 
The  handkerchief  they  are  wrapped  in  is  of  native  manufacture,  and 
comes  from  Collanton,  up  the  coast,  — eight  miles  from  Singapore. 
The  Malays  wear  them  on  the  head,  and  each  tribe  has  a different 
manner  of  tying  them.  They  are  worn  by  the  men  alone  : the  women 
never  cover  their  heads,  even  when  they  attain  to  old  age. 

I ask  your  son-in-law  Mr.  Greene’s  acceptance,  as  President  of 
the  Natural-History  Society,  of  some  birds  from  the  coast  of  Coro- 
mandel, nine  in  number.  They  were  prepared  and  given  to  me  by  a 


240 


French  naturalist,  and  were  duplicates.  Allow  me  to  thank  you  for 
“ Yan  Artevelde,”  and  for  the  “Life  of  'Washington”  by  Mr.  Sparks, 
— a great  pleasui’e  to  us,  and  a source  of  pride  in  showing  it  to  the 
Europeans  here,  who  know  little  of  the  United  States,  except  what 
they  are  told  by  prejudiced  travellers.  By  this  opportunity  I also 
send  you  a Siamese  manuscript,  and  some  of  the  books  printed  in 
Siam,  for  the  use  of  the  natives,  by  the  American  mission,  and  also 
some  from  China. 

You  will  be  gi’atified  to  learn  that  the  institution  founded  by  Sir 
Stamford  Raffles  is  in  a flourishing  state,  and  attended  by  man}'- 
pupils  ; though  not  as  yet,  according  to  his  desire,  by  the  children  of 
the  rajahs.  But  it  has  Portuguese  students  from  Manilla,  Macao,  and 
Goa,  who  reside  in  the  family  of  one  of  the  head  masters,  — Mr. 
Dickenson  of  Virginia,  a most  able  and  efficient  person.  The  build- 
ing is  airy  and  convenient.  They  are  beginning  a library,  and  have 
some  philosophical  instruments.  This  is  also  one  of  the  stations  for 
meteorological  observations,  erected,  at  the  request  of  the  Associa- 
tion for  the  Diffusion  of  Science,  by  the  British  Government,  on  a 
grand  scale,  and  supplied  with  instruments  of  every  kind. 

October  18,  1S41. 

Your  letter,  and  the  beautiful  volumes  of  the  “ History  of  Harvard 
University,”  — a most  valuable  work,  gratifying  us  in  many  ways, — 
arrived  after  a short  voyage.  I lately  sent  you  another  manuscript, 
by  Hon.  Mark  Kerr,  a young  Englishman,  the  grandson  of  the  Marquis 
of  Lothian,  and  introduced  to  us  by  Mr.  James  Brooke,  who  is  here, 
in  his  own  yacht,  for  scientific  purposes,  and  to  whom  Mr.  Ballestier 
gave  a letter  to  President  Quincy. 

I now  offer  you  an  illustrated  Siamese  manuscript,  entitled  “A 
Treatise  on  Fortune -telling,”  — a missionary  friend  in  Siam  had  it 
executed  for  me  ; and  also  a specimen  of  the  Venus  slipper,  an 
orchidaceous  plant  from  the  Prince-of-Wales  Island.  It  reminds  me 


241 


of  a similar  plant  I saw,  when  very  young,  at  Canton,  Massachusetts, 
called  by  the  country  people  the  “ whippoorwill  shoe.”  The  beauti- 
ful color  of  the  leaves  is  almost  destroyed  in  the  drying.  With 
every  kind  wish  for  your  happiness, 

Very  sincerely  yours, 

Maria  Revere  Ballestier. 

Soon  after  the  date  of  this  letter,  Mrs.  Ballestier  died  at  Singa- 
pore. An  extract  from  a tribute  to  her  memory,  in  an  English 
journal,  is  here  inserted  : — 

“ Occupying  a prominent  position  in  society,  Mrs.  Ballestier  en- 
deared herself  to  all  by  every  social  virtue  ; proving  that  they  are 
not  only  compatible  with,  but  heightened  in  their  value  by  being 
accompanied  by,  the  amenities  of  life.  To  obtain  her  good  offices,  it 
was  only  requisite  to  ueed  them.  A quiet  dignity  of  demeanor,  that 
has  passed,  we  fear,  with  the  old  school,  gave  a pleasing  grace  to  her 
manners.  Her  heart  was  young  withal.  How  often  have  we  seen 
it  go  with  the  little  children  at  their  play ! Her  sympathies  were 
truly  catholic,  embracing  in  the  fullest  sense  the  whole  human 
family.” 

During  these  years,  the  Centennial  celebration  of  the  foundation 
of  Harvard  College,  the  erection  of  G-ore  Hall,  the  history  of  the 
University,  and  a correspondence  and  friendship  which  at  this  period 
commenced  between  Mr.  Quincy  and  James  Grahame,  the  historian 
of  the  United  States  (and  which  is  yet,  in  1861,  sustained  by  their 
children),  were  sources  of  great  interest  to  Mrs.  Quincy. 

In  March,  1838,  Mr.  Quincy  visited  Dr.  Bowditch,  whose  health 
had  rapidly  declined.  He  found  him  correcting  for  the  press  the  last 
pages  of  his  translation  of  the  “ Mecanique  Celeste  ” of  La  Place. 
After  a most  interesting  interview,  Dr.  Bowditch  took  leave  of  his 
friend,  and  sent  an  affectionate  message  to  Mrs.  Quincy.  The  death 

31 


242 


of  the  great  “Practical  Navigator/7  who  had  guided  the  ships  of  all 
nations  over  the  pathless  ocean,  was  soon  announced  by  their  flags  at 
half-mast.  In  these  tributes  of  sorrow  and  respect  his  friends  deeply 
sympathized. 

In  July,  1839,  Mrs.  Dowse,  the  widow  of  Edward  Dowse,  and  the 
last  survivor  of  the  sisters  of  Mrs.  Abigail  Quincy,  died  at  the  age  of 
eighty-two  years.  After  the  loss  of  her  sister  Mrs.  Shaw,  Anna  W. 
Storer  became,  through  an  arrangement  by  Mrs.  Quincy,  an  inmate  in 
her  family.  Her  companionship  and  affectionate  attentions  contri- 
buted to  the  happiness  of  the  last  six  years  of  the  life  of  Mrs.  Dowse, 
at  whose  residence  the  letter  was  written  from  which  an  extract  is 
here  inserted : — 


To  Hon.  Josiah  Quincy. 

Dedham,  October,  1839. 

...  I looked  with  deep  interest  at  your  father’s  monument  during 
my  last  visit  to  Quincy,  for  the  first  erection  of  which  I was  solicit- 
ous nearly  forty  years  ago  ; and  I am  now  gratified  by  its  repair  and 
renovation.  It  does  not  often  fall  to  the  lot  of  a son  twice  to  build 
the  monument  of  his  parents  ; but,  if  ever  such  a tribute  was  de- 
served, that  claim  is  surely  theirs.  And  well  has  it  been  answered 
“ by  their  only  surviving  child,”  not  only  by  monumental  marble,  but 
by  a life  worthy  of  their  name  and  their  example.  It  must  now  re- 
main with  those  who  are  to  come  after  us  to  continue  to  preserve  the 
memoiy  and  the  memorial  of  those  we  have  honored  and  loved.  But, 
whether  they  do  or  not,  the  past  is  secure ; and  you  may  willingly 
leave  to  the  future  the  record  of  your  own  claims,  public  and  private, 
to  the  grateful  remembrance  of  your  friends  and  your  children. 

I have  just  returned  from  visiting  the  cemetery  here,  and  the 
monument  you  have  erected  to  the  memory  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dowse 
and  Mrs.  Shaw.  I return  to  their  pleasant  mansion  with  a heart  full 
of  affectionate  remembrance  of  all  their  love  and  kindness  to  us  and 


213 


our  children.  In  the  disposition  of  their  late  abode  as  the  residence 
of  our  youngest  son,  they  would  have  been  gratified ; and  I hope  our 
children’s  children  will  be  taught  to  whom  they  owe  this  goodly 
heritage,  and  honor  their  memoi'y  as  they  deserve. 

Eliza  S.  Quincy. 

An  interesting  incident  of  the  summer  of  1839  is  thus  described 
by  Mrs.  Quincy : — 

“ In  August,  with  my  daughter  A.  P.  Quincy,  and  attended  by  a 
servant,  I crossed  the  Hudson  at  New  York  to  Jersey  City,  went  by 
railroad  to  Morristown,  and  there  took  a carriage  to  visit  Baskinridge. 
I recollected  the  whole  road  as  we  went  on.  We  passed  a hand- 
some house  I remembered  as  the  residence  of  a family  of  the  name 
of  Kemble,  and,  nearer  Baskinridge,  that  of  Mr.  Southward  ; and 
drove  over  a tract  of  ground  through  which  three  brooks  ran : the 
last  was  the  one  near  my  father’s  house.  We  ascended  a little  hill; 
and  there  was  the  house,  and  the  spring  opposite.  It  was  partly 
demolished,  and  stood,  as  I have  described  it,  on  the  descent  of 
the  hill,  one  story  high  on  one  side,  two  on  the  other.  I entered 
the  part  yet  inhabited ; and,  after  an  absence  of  more  than  half  a 
century,  I again  tasted  the  water  of  the  spring  around  which  I 
had  so  often  played  in  my  childhood.  We  went  up  the  hill  to  the 
village.  The  view  from  thence  was  beautiful;  but  the  old  church 
and  schoolhouse  were  replaced  by  modern  edifices.  In  the  afternoon 
we  drove  over  to  ‘ the  Buildings,’  which  remain  in  tolerable  repair, 
having  been  the  property  and  residence  of  a respectable  family  for 
the  last  thirty  years,  and  yet  bear  evidences  of  having  been  in  for- 
mer times  an  elegant  establishment.  We  passed  into  the  court-yard, 
formerly  paved  and  surrounded  with  stables,  coach-house,  and  offices, 
from  which  it  derived  the  name  of  1 the  Buildings ; ’ stopped  at  a 
porch  at  the  back  of  the  house ; and  went  into  the  great  hall,  where 
the  beautiful  staircase  remained,  and  the  great  bell  yet  hung.  A fine 


244 


lawn  descended  in  front  of  the  house  to  the  banks  of  Black  River, 
which  fell  into  the  Great  Swamp.  We  passed  the  nig'ht  at  Somer- 
ville ; and  then  went  on,  through  bad  roads  but  a beautiful  country, 
to  New  Brunswick,  and  sent  our  servant  to  inform  my  uncle  Daniel 
Kemper  of  our  arrival,  and  that  we  would  visit  him  in  the  afternoon. 
Mr.  Kemper,  then  ninety  years  of  age,  was  one  of  the  most  noble- 
looking old  men  I ever  saw  ; his  sight  and  hearing  perfect.  He  was 
delighted  to  see  me  ; said,  ‘ I see  your  dear  mother  in  you.’  His 
daughter  Jane  Kemper,  and  his  grand-daughter,  one  of  the  children 
of  his  son  Bishop  Kemper  of  Wisconsin,  were  with  him ; and  he  had 
every  thing  pleasant  around  his  residence.  He  was  always  fond  of 
the  cultivation  of  flowers,  and  took  me  into  his  garden,  and  showed 
me  the  stone  house  in  Albany  Street  where  my  grandparents  had  re- 
sided, and  where  he  was  born  in  1749.  As  a reward  for  service  as 
Colonel  Kemper  in  the  army  of  the  Revolution,  he  received  a lucra- 
tive office  from  General  Washington,  and  is  treated  by  the  citizens 
of  New  Brunswick  with  great  respect.”* 

In  October,  1839,  Mrs.  Quincy  received  a visit  from  Mr.  Gallaudet, 
who,  in  1775,  had  superintended  the  transfer  of  the  property  of  her 
father,  Mr.  Morton,  from  New  York  to  Philadelphia.!'  Retaining  his 
health  and  mental  power  at  the  age  of  eighty-four  years,  he  recol- 
lected distinctly  all  the  occurrences  of  that  period.  J 

The  care  of  a numerous  family,  which  the  public  duties  of  Mr. 
Quincy  caused  to  devolve  chiefly  on  his  wife,  prevented  her  from 
taking  an  active  part  in  the  benevolent  societies  of  Boston;  but  she 
was  a subscriber  to  many,  and  to  the  Boston  Female  Asylum  for 
upwards  of  thirty  years.  Two  of  the  inmates  of  that  institution  were 
employed  in  her  family  until  they  were  eighteen.  They  married 
respectable  mechanics ; and  one  of  them  visited  the  asylum  with  Mrs. 


See  Appendix  VI. 


1 See  p.  17. 


| See  Appendix  VII. 


245 


Quincy,  returned  her  thanks  to  the  managers,  and  became  a subscri- 
ber herself  to  the  institution  which  had  shielded  her  childhood. 

In  1843,  Mrs.  Quincy,  with  several  of  her  family,  made  a tour  in 
Canada,  and  visited  Mrs.  Sewall,  the  widow  of  Chief- Justice  Sewall, 
who,  surrounded  by  her  children  and  grandchildren,  was  residing  at 
Quebec,  and  whom,  as  Harriet  Smith,  she  had  met  sixty  years  previous 
in  New  York,  — in  1783.  The  next  summer,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quincy 
visited  Niagara  and  Toronto,  where  they  had  an  interesting  interview 
with  Mrs.  Powell,  the  widow  of  Judge  Powell,  who  had  resided  on  the 
shores  of  Lake  Ontario  from  the  time  the  country  was  a wilderness, 
and  had  seen  a city  grow  up  around  her.  At  the  mansion  of  their 
friend  Mr.  Justice  Hagermann,  they  formed  an  acquaintance  with 
Chief-Justice  and  Mrs.  Eobinson  and  the  other  principal  inhabitants 
of  Toronto. 

During  the  last  years  of  her  residence  in  Cambridge,  the  es- 
tablishment of  the  Observatory  had  been  an  object  of  interest  to 
Mrs.  Quincy.  On  the  8th  of  May,  1845,  a transit  of  Mercury  was  ob- 
served in  New  England  for  the  first  time  for  sixty  years.  Mr.  J.  Q. 
Adams  came  to  Cambridge  to  view  it ; and,  in  the  afternoon,  Mrs. 
Quincy  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  planet  on  the  disc  of  the  sun 
through  the  telescope,  and  of  watching  the  observations  of  Mr. 
Bond. 

When  Mr.  Quincy  attained  the  age  of  seventy  years,  he  purchased 
a house  in  Boston  for  the  future  residence  of  his  family ; and  in 
March,  1845,  resigned  the  Presidency  of  Harvard  University.  The 
announcement  of  his  intention  to  leave  the  official  station  he  had  long 
held,  and  remove  with  his  family  from  Cambridge,  was  received  with 
a strong  and  general  expression  of  regret,  especially  from  all  those 
immediately  connected  with  the  University.  But  he  never  wavered 
in  his  decision  to  retire  while  his  health  was  unimpaired,  and  when 
he  could  leave  the  institution  in  perfect  order,  prosperous,  improved, 
and  enlarged  in  all  its  branches  during  his  administration.  Although, 


246 


to  Mrs.  Quincy  and  her  family,  a removal  from  Cambridge,  where 
they  had  acquired  new  friends,  passed  many  happy  years,  and 
formed  many  pleasing  associations,  was  attended  with  regret,  they 
coincided  in  the  opinion  that  it  was  the  golden  moment  for  the 
change  to  be  made. 

Among  the  parting  testimonies  of  respect  paid  to  Mr.  Quincy, 
the  request  of  the  four  classes  of  under-graduates  for  his  bust  by 
Crawford,  to  be  placed  in  Gore  Hall,  was  among  the  most  gratifying. 
A consequent  acquaintance  with  that  accomplished  and  distinguished 
artist,  who  modelled  his  work  in  an  apartment  in  the  President’s 
house,  was  a great  pleasure  to  Mrs.  Quincy.  The  closing  tributes  on 
Commencement  Day  in  August,  1845,  and  the  crowded  levee  of  the 
evening,  equalled  in  interest  and  animation  those  of  the  second  of 
June,  1829. 

In  September,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quincy  took  possession  of  the  commo- 
dious house  they  had  selected  in  Bowdoin  Place,  and  were  received 
by  their  friends  in  Boston  with  every  attention  on  their  return ; and, 
during  the  succeeding  years,  they  were  constantly  visited  by  those 
whom  they  had  left  in  Cambridge. 

In  the  summer  of  1846,  they  resumed  their  favorite  residence  in 
the  country;  from  whence  the  following  letter  was  written  by  Mrs. 
Quincy : — - 

To  Miss  Eliza  A.  Guild , Staten  Island. 

Quincy,  July  9,  1846. 

My  dear  Friend,  — Although  you  have  many  better  correspond- 
ents, I cannot  refrain  from  expressing  for  myself  the  gratification  I 
received  from  your  interesting  letter.  There  is  something  in  a direct 
personal  appeal  to  our  feelings  and  affections  which  gives  an  assu- 
rance of  our  being  loved  and  remembered  beyond  all  messages 
conveyed  through  another  medium,  however  near,  and  identical 
with  one’s  self. 


247 


You  are  correct  in  supposing  that  we  are  happily  settled  in 
this  our  ancestral  abode,  among  these  dear  familiar  scenes ; hut  it  is 
hardly  possible  for  you  to  realize  the  happiness  I feel  in  returning 
here,  untouched  by  calamity,  after  seventeen  years- of  absence.  By 
exertions  for  the  public  service,  performed,  from  a sense  of  duty, 
with  devotion  and  successful  results,  Mr.  Quincy  must  be  allowed  to 
have  earned  leisure  to  pursue  other  objects  of  interest  and  usefulness. 
The  place  is  in  great  beauty ; the  house,  in  perfect  order  within  and 
without ; and  we  have  retired  while  we  are  still  able  to  enjoy  domes- 
tic pleasures  among  our  children  and  friends.  You,  my  dear  Eliza, 
with  the  exception  of  Mr.  Quincy,  are  the  only  person  whose  sympa- 
thy can  extend  with  me  to  the  past.  You  can  recollect  Mr.  Quincy’s 
mother  and  Mrs.  Ann  Quincy,  to  whom,  and  to  many  others  now 
departed,  these  scenes  were  so  endeared.  You  also  remember 
our  family  meeting  in  1815,  — that  interesting  occasion.  I could 
enumei'ate  every  one  who  was  then  present ; now  absent  in  all  but 
spiritual  influences,  — and  these  I feel  and  recognize  in  all  around 
me,  with  the  consciousness,  that,  if  those  friends  witness  our  daily 
walks  through  their  former  places  of  abode,  they  will  approve  of  our 
filial  love  and  of  our  gratitude  for  all  they  have  bequeathed  to  us. 

But  I will  turn  from  these  scenes  to  those  by  which  you  are  now 
surrounded,  — scenes,  too,  of  my  early  childhood.  I am  only  familiar 
with  Staten  Island  by  sight.  I never  landed  there,  but  often  passed 
it  in  my  frequent  passages  to  visit  friends  in  Elizabethtown,  Newark, 
and  Brunswick.  We  always  sailed  by  the  western  shore  of  Staten 
Island,  through  what  were  then  termed  “ the  Kills,”  — a Dutch  name 
for  creeks  or  rivers  ; as,  Fishkill,  &c.  The  “ Kills  ” derived  their 
name  from  the  three  streams  which  there  enter  the  bay,  — the  Hack- 
ensack, the  Passaic,  and  the  Raritan.  This  piece  of  geographical 
information  just  came  into  my  mind  as  the  answer  to  my  question  as 
to  the  meaning  of  the  name  of  that  part  of  the  passage,  when  I was 
sailing  through  it. 


248 


Those  early  days  ! — how  difficult  it  is  for  me  to  realize,  that  I am 
the  same  being  who  then  thought  no  other  places  or  persons  could 
ever  be  so  dear  to  me,  and  who  have  since  formed  such  dearer  ties ! 
And  yet  memory  goes  back  to  many  kind  and  tender  proofs  of  love 
and  indulgent  gratification  obtained  for  me  by  those  who  then  formed 
my  circle  of  family  friends,  all  now  removed  from  the  places  that 
once  knew  them.  But  the  features  of  nature  ever  remain  the  same, 
to  cheer  and  elevate  the  mind.  I rejoice  that  you  are  enjoying  at 
Staten  Island  all  that  we  are  here.  To  have  you  with  us  would  add 
almost  the  only  additional  pleasure  that  could  be  granted  to  me. 

Ever  affectionately  yours, 

Eliza  S.  Quincy. 

The  sixth  of  June,  1847,  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  marriage 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Quincy  was  celebrated  with  appropriate  testimonies 
of  affection  from  their  family,  who  met  at  their  mansion  in  Bowdoin 
Place,  in  the  evening. 

For  several  years  after  their  return  to  their  former  places  of 
residence,  Mrs.  Quincy  retained  her  power  of  participating  in  all  the 
occurrences  which  interested  those  around  her.  The  last  public 
occasion  at  which  she  was  present  was  on  the  twenty-fifth  of  October, 
1848,  when  her  eldest  son,  Josiah  Quincy,  jun.,  as  Mayor  of  Boston, 
presided  over  the  completion  of  the  Cochituate  Aqueduct.  It  was  the 
great  festival  of  the  whole  people  at  this  period.  The  order  which 
prevailed  among  the  multitudes  who  thronged  the  streets  of  the  city, 
and  the  moment  when,  at  the  command  of  the  Mayor,  the  water  of 
the  distant  lake  gushed  up  in  a splendid  fountain  on  the  Common,  is 
remembered  with  pleasure  by  the  many  thousands  of  the  citizens 
who  witnessed  the  scene  and  enjoyed  the  celebration. 

The  health  of  Mrs.  Quincy  remained  unimpaired  until  the  last 
year  of  her  life ; and  the  few  months  of  her  decline  were  passed  at 
Quincy,  amid  the  devoted  attentions  of  her  family  and  the  tributes  of 


249 


long-tried  friendship.  Her  memory  and  intellectual  powers  remained 
perfect;  and  the  resources  of  literature,  ever  her  peculiar  delight, 
employed  her  leisure  hours.  Her  Christian  faith  was  firm,  and  sus- 
tained by  “ an  unfaltering  trust.”  She  closed  her  long  and  happy 
life  of  seventy-seven  years,  at  Quincy,  on  Sunday  morning,  the  first 
of  September,  1850,  in  tranquillity  and  peace,  with  gratitude  for  the 
past,  and  with  confidence  and  hope  for  the  future. 


32 


APPENDIX. 


APPENDIX. 


No.  I.  — Page  58. 

Extract  from  a Letter  from  John  Morton  to  Mrs.  Jackson , Philadelphia. 

Alexandria,  D.C.,  Dec.  23,  1800. 

Ox  the  19th,  I made  my  visit  to  Mount  Vernon  with  Mr.  Dandridge,  and 
met  with  a most  flattering  reception  from  Mrs.  Washington.  There  were  no 
other  visitors,  except  Colonel  Lear  and  some  relatives,  who  came  to  dine 
on  Sunday.  Mrs.  Washington’s  family  at  present  consists  of  her  grand- 
daughter Mrs.  Lewis,*  a charming  woman  still ; Mr.  Lewis  ; Miss  Henley  ; 
and  Washington  Custis,  a good-natured  young  sportsman,  a great  favorite 
with  Mrs.  Washington,  and  heir  to  her  estate,  though  of  large  fortune  in  his 
own  right. 

Old  Frank,  the  General’s  mulatto  servant,  recognized  me  the  moment  I 
entered  the  house,  and  tendered  the  assistance  I needed.  A stream,  called 
Cameron  Run,  had  been  swelled  by  a heavy  rain  the  preceding  night.  Dan- 
dridge insisted  on  dashing  through  it,  and  took  the  water  above  his  boots. 
Being  better  mounted,  I escaped  with  clothes  completely  splashed.  Frank, 
seeing  our  plight,  conducted  us  to  our  chambers,  lighted  a brisk  fire,  and  soon 
put  us  to  rights.  Every  thing  that  is  good  and  comfortable  abounds  in  the 
establishment,  and  the  whole  is  managed  with  the  same  harmonious  regu- 
larity as  in  the  General’s  lifetime. 

Mrs.  Washington,  though  altered  by  years,  and  evidently  lost  at  times  in 
melancholy  thought,  displays  great  fortitude,  and  retains  the  full  strength  of 


* Miss  Eleanor  P.  Custis. 


254 


her  mental  powers.  She  perfectly  recollected  our  family  both  during  and 
since  the  war,  made  many  inquiries  regarding  them  and  other  families  at  the 
northward,  and  evinced  the  most  minute  recollection  of  events.  She  con- 
versed freely  and  cheerfully  on  public  and  private  affairs  ; and  her  whole 
deportment  does  infinite  honor  to  herself,  and  to  the  memory  of  the  illustrious 
character  to  whom  she  was  united.  I visited  the  tomb  of  Washington  with 
sensations  I cannot  express. 

I had  engaged  to  dine  at  the  President’s  to-day,  on  the  invitation  of  Mrs. 
Adams,  whom  I saw  here  at  Alexandria  on  her  way  to  Mount  Vernon,  but 
am  prevented  by  indisposition.  Yours,  &c. 

John  Morton. 


No.  II.  — Page  87. 

This  mansion  in  Beacon  Street  was  the  birthplace  and  residence  of  Edward 
Bromfield,  jun.,  a youth  of  high  promise,  who  Avas  graduated  at  Harvard  in 
1742,  and  died  in  1745.  He  constructed  microscopes,  and  the  first  organ 
ever  made  in  America.  At  the  early  age  of  twenty-two  years,  his  scientific 
attainments,  and  genius  for  mechanics,  rendered  him  eminent  among  his 
contemporaries.  In  his  portrait,  he  is  represented  as  standing  in  his  library, 
pointing  to  his  microscope  on  the  table  beside  him.  As  it  had  suffered  from 
time  and  ill  usage,  Mrs.  Quincy  caused  it  to  be  brought  from  Ilaiward  to 
Boston,  and  repaired,  in  the  hope  that  it  would  be  given  by  his  relative,  Mrs. 
M.  Blanchard,  to  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society,  as  a memorial  of  his 
talents  and  acquisitions. 

The  Bromfield  Family  held  extensive  possessions  in  Wales,  in  the  reign 
of  Edward  VI.  ; and  became  residents  of  England  in  that  of  Elizabeth. 
Edward  Bromfield,  who  emigrated  to  America  in  1675,  was  born  at  Hay- 
wood House,  their  seat  in  Hampshire,  England.  He  resided  in  Boston,  in 
the  street  which  bears  his  name,  and  on  the  site  of  the  Bromfield  House,  then 


2 55 


surrounded  by  fields  and  shady  groves.  His  son  erected  the  house  in  Beacon 
Street,  mentioned  p.  87.  John  Bromfield,  the  last  of  the  family  resident  in 
Boston,  was  distinguished  for  the  excellence  of  his  character,  and  his  muni- 
ficent bequests  to  the  public  and  to  his  relatives.* 

In  1847,  William  Arnold  Bromfield,  of  the  Isle  of  Wight,  an  eminent 
botanist,  visited  Boston,  and  accidentally  became  acquainted  with  Mr.  Quincy 
and  his  family.  Dr.  Bromfield  and  his  sister  were  the  last  representatives  of 
the  name  in  England,  and  were  descended  from  an  elder  branch  of  the  same 
family  with  Edward  Bromfield.  In  1850,  Dr.  Bromfield  visited  Egypt  and 
Syria,  and  died  at  Damascus  in  1851.  His  sister  caused  his  letters  during 
his  journey  to  be  privately  printed;  and  published  his  “ Flora  Vectensis, — 
being  a systematic  Description  of  the  Plants  indigenous  to  the  Isle  of  Wight,” 
edited  by  Sir  William  J.  Hooker,  London,  1856.  Miss  Bromfield  has  thus 
raised  an  appropriate  and  enduring  memorial  of  a brother  to  whom  she  was 
most  affectionately  attached. 


No.  III.  — Page  148. 

John  Henry  was  an  Irish  adventurer,  a naturalized  citizen  of  the  United 
States  ; at  one  time,  an  editor  in  Philadelphia.  Afterwards  he  resided  in 
Vermont ; and,  by  newspaper  essays  against  republican  government,  attracted 
the  attention  of  Sir  James  Craig,  the  Governor  of  Canada,  who,  during  the 
embargo  of  1809,  sent  him  to  ascertain  whether  the  Federalists,  if  they  pre- 
vailed at  the  approaching  election,  would  be  disposed  to  separate  from  the 
Union,  or  to  enter  into  any  connection  with  England ; and,  if  any  such  dis- 
position appeared,  the  British  Government  might  be  communicated  with 
through  him.  Henry  arrived  in  Boston  in  March,  1809,  and  spent  three 
months  there,  when  an  apparent  settlement  of  affairs  by  Erskine  put  an  end 


History  of  the  Boston  Athenaeum,  by  Josiah  Quincy,  p.  73. 


256 


to  his  mission.  During  this  time,  he  addressed  seventeen  letters  to  Craig’s 
secretary,  describing  the  discontent  arising  from  existing  commercial  restric- 
tions, but  stating  that  withdrawal  from  the  Union  was  an  unpopular  measure  ; 
and  the  Federalists  confined  themselves  to  the  ordinary  routine  of  opposition. 
The  source  of  this  conjectural  information  did  not  appear.  No  names  were 
mentioned ; and  he  does  not  seem  to  have  avowed  his  diplomatic  mission  in 
Boston  even  to  the  British  consul.  He  went  to  England  to  apply  for  a 
reward ; but  was  referred  by  Wellesley  to  Craig’s  successor  in  Canada,  as 
better  qualified  to  appreciate  his  services.  Not  liking  this  treatment,  he 
landed  in  Boston  with  a Frenchman  calling  himself  Count  Crillon,  who 
proved  to  be  an  impostor  ; and,  obtaining  a letter  to  Madison  from  Governor 
Gerry,  went  to  Washington,  where  he  kept  secluded,  in  the  daytime,  for  ten 
days.  President  Madison  then  paid  him,  out  of  the  secret-service  fund,  fifty 
thousand  dollars,  with  which  he  instantly  departed ; and  on  the  3d  of  March, 
the  day  of  the  President’s  communication  to  Congress,  sailed  from  New  York 
for  France,  in  the  sloop  of  war  “ Wasp,”  bound  to  Europe  with  diplomatic 
despatches. 

His  revelations  were  prefaced  by  a letter  dated  Philadelphia,  Feb.  20  ; 
in  which,  having  already  received  the  money,  about  which  nothing  was  said 
to  Congress,  he  offered  to  make  a “ voluntary  disclosure.”  They  consisted  of 
his  correspondence  with  Craig  and  Peel.  The  price  Madison  paid  for  these 
papers,  if  he  knew  beforehand  how  little  they  contained,  is  only  to  be 
explained  by  his  desire  to  aid  his  partisans  by  exciting  suspicions  against 
the  Federalists  of  Massachusetts,  and  odium  against  the  British  Government, 
charged,  in  his  message,  with  being  engaged,  in  time  of  peace,  in  an  intrigue 
for  destroying  the  Union.  As  these  papers  mentioned  no  names  and  stated 
no  acts,  and  as  their  imputations  were  wholly  conjectural,  the  excitement,  at 
first  very  great,  speedily  died  away.  The  British  ministers  defended  Craig 
in  Parliament ; maintaining  that,  so  far  from  attempting  to  sever  the  Ameri- 
can Union,  he  had,  in  an  uncertain  state  of  affairs,  merely  sent  an  agent  to 
Boston  to  obtain  information  on  his  own  responsibility.  The  effect  on  Mas- 
sachusetts did  not  answer  the  expectations  of  the  Administration.* 


* Hildreth’s  History  of  the  United  States,  second  series,  vol.  iii.  p.  284. 


257 


No.  IY.  — Page  160. 

The  following  letter  from  the  Hon.  James  Lloyd,  senator  from  Massachu- 
setts, the  intimate  friend  of  Mr.  Quincy,  illustrates  the  position  of  the  Federal 
members  of  Congress  at  that  period  : — 

To  Isaac  P.  Davis , Esq.,  Boston. 

City  of  Washington,  23d  June,  1812. 

Dear  Sir,  — I regret  that  the  State  Legislature  had  risen  before  the 
declaration  of  war  could  have  reached  Boston  ; as,  had  it  been  otherwise,  an 
opportunity  would  have  been  given  to  the  House  of  Bepresentatives  at  least 
to  have  formed  and  expressed  their  opinion  with  regard  to  it.  Here  rashness 
and  improvidence  are  the  order  of  the  day.  A bill  for  the  issuing  letters  of 
marque  and  reprisal,  and  commissions  for  privateers,  and  another  imposing 
no  few  additional  duties  on  imports,  with  a third  authorizing  an  issue  of  five 
millions  of  dollars  in  Treasury  notes,  have  all  passed  the  House,  and  are  now 
in  different  stages  before  the  Senate.  They  are  retarded  by  objections,  but 
can  no  more  be  stayed  by  the  Federal  members  than  they  could  arrest  the 
progress  of  a thunderbolt.  At  this  interesting  and  anxious  period,  our  friends 
should  remember,  that,  in  the  Senate,  we  have  no  stenographer,  nor  a 
reporter  of  any  kind,  except  the  mere  transcript  of  the  result  from  the 
Journal,  which  is  handed  from  one  of  the  clerks  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Se- 
nate to  the  printer  ; and  the  composing  and  writing-out  one’s  own  observations 
frequently  is  both  tedious  and  invidious.  I merely  mention  this,  lest  an 
imputation  of  neglect  should  unmeritedly  attach  to  the  minority  in  this 
branch  of  the  Legislature.  We  are  however,  here,  literally  nobody  ; and  it  is, 
in  some  sort,  practising  a deception  upon  the  community  for  a Federal  man 
to  hold  a seat  in  the  Senate  from  New  England,  and  especially  from  Massa- 
chusetts. 

After  having  laid  the  commerce  of  the  country  a victim  on  the  altar,  and 
applied  the  knife  to  its  throat,  Congress  will  rise  in  about  ten  days  or  a 
fortnight,  not  daring  to  touch  any  other  of  the  taxes  than  the  imposts  ; and, 

33 


258 


having  declared  war,  will  leave  the  country  nearly  as  defenceless  as  they 
found  it ; and  will  feel  very  little  compunction  for  the  ruin  and  desolation 
which  that  measure  will  entail  on  the  commercial  capital  a^d  the  navigation 
of  the  United  States.  . . . 

Yours  very  sincerely,  James  Lloyd. 


No.  Y.  — Page  183. 

Professor  Kemper  of  Leyden  was  interested  and  gratified  by  the  account  of 
the  German  ancestry  of  Mrs.  Quincy,  transmitted  by  Mr.  Vanderkemp  ; and 
requested  him  to  forward  to  her  an  engraved  likeness  of  himself,  his  coat-of- 
arms,  and  an  extract  from  his  letter,  in  which  he  stated  that  his  grand- 
father Philip  Kemper  came  from  Lower  Germany ; but  that,  as  he  lost  his 
parents  at  ten  years  of  age,  he  knew  but  little  of  his  paternal  ancestry,  and 
was  uncertain  if  the  arms  of  his  father  were  brought  from  Germany,  or 
assumed  in  Llolland. 

The  engraving  enclosed  bore  such  a striking  resemblance  to  Jacob  Kem- 
per as  to  be  thought  his  likeness  by  the  elder  relatives  of  Mrs.  Quincy,  when 
it  was  shown  them  with  the  name  concealed.  His  seal,  on  which  the  arms 
were  engraved,  was  lost  during  his  residence  in  New  Jersey ; and  no  copy 
was  retained.  They  could  not,  therefore,  be  compared  with  those  of  Profes- 
sor Kemper,  who,  it  was  inferred  from  various  coincidences,  was  the  grandson 
of  the  elder  brother  of  Jacob  Kemper,  who,  on  his  return  from  the  East 
Indies,  settled  in  Holland.* 

John  Melchior  Kemper,  counsellor  of  State  for  Foreign  Affairs,  member 
of  the  States-General,  and  professor  of  jurisprudence  in  the  University  of 
Leyden,  was  one  of  the  most  eminent  civilians  and  eloquent  lawyers  of  his 
time.  He  was  also  highly  distinguished  in  political  life,  and  active  in  driving 
the  French  from  his  country.  Lie  accompanied  the  Prince  of  Orange  on  his 


* See  Memoir,  p.  1. 


259 


entrance  into  Amsterdam  in  1812,  and  was  one  of  his  most  influential  coun- 
sellors. He  was  beloved  for  his  social  virtues  ; and  died  in  1824,  deeply 
regretted  by  his  countrymen,  and  especially  by  the  students  of  the  university. 

This  tribute  to  Professor  Kemper  was  translated  by  Miss  Vanderkemp 
from  the  Leyden  “ Courant,”  July  20,  1824. 

Judge  Vanderkemp,  in  1829,  bequeathed  to  Mrs.  Quincy  the  original 
manuscripts  of  his  correspondence  with  Mrs.  (Governor)  Livingston  and 
Mrs.  Abigail  Adams.  The  former  were  presented  to  her  friend  Mrs.  Theo- 
dore Sedgwick,  a grand-daughter  of  Mrs.  Livingston  : those  of  Mrs.  Adams 
remain  in  the  possession  of  her  family. 


No.  VI.  — Page  244. 

Colonel  Kemper  was  aid-de-camp  to  General  Washington  at  the  battle  of 
Germantown.  He  offered  to  go  with  a flag  of  truce  to  Chew’s  house  ; when 
a younger  officer  arrived,  who  was  sent,  and  mortally  wounded.  His  brothers 
were  — Philip  Kemper,  who  went  to  the.  West  Indies,  and  returned,  and  died 
in  Philadelphia  ; Jacob,  who  was  a captain  in  the  American  Army  ; and  John, 
who  entered  the  naval  service  of  the  Colonies,  underwent  great  sufferings  in 
their  cause,  and  died  in  1844,  at  Hudson,  N.Y.,  leaving  several  children. 

Mrs.  Jackson  (Susan  Kemper*),  born  in  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  in  1758, 
survived  all  her  children,  except  Mrs.  I.  P.  Davis  of  Boston,  and  Mrs.  Bernard 
Henry  and  Dr.  S.  Jackson  of  Philadelphia.  The  uncommon  animation  and 
benevolence  of  her  character  rendered  her  through  life  a general  favorite. 
Wherever  she  resided,  numerous  friends  surrounded  her  : as  the  elder  passed 
away,  the  younger  pressed  forward  to  serve  and  attend  her.  Though  remark- 
able for  timidity  in  her  youth,  and  fearing  even  the  passage  of  the  ferries 
between  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  yet  her  energy  in  after-life  surmounted 
danger  ; and,  when  above  sixty  years  of  age,  she  made  several  voyages  across 
the  Atlantic  to  visit  her  daughter  Mrs.  Llenry  at  Gibraltar,  and  twice  in  vessels 
condemned  as  unseawortliy  the  moment  they  arrived  in  port. 


* See  Memoir,  pp.  28-78. 


260 


Mrs.  Jackson  sought  the  abodes  of  poverty,  studied  the  character  of  their 
inmates,  and  the  purses  of  her  wealthy  friends  were  ever  open  to  her  requests 
for  aid.  During  her  residence  in  the  family  of  her  son-in-law  I.  P.  Davis, 
Esq.,  before  the  establishment  of  the  Ministry-at -Large,  no  private  individual 
was  more  efficient  in  visiting  and  relieving  the  indigent  classes  of  the  city  of 
Boston.  She  had  the  gratification  of  seeing  her  eldest  son,  Samuel  Jackson, 
M.D.,  of  Philadelphia,  rise  to  the  highest  rank  in  his  profession  ; passed  her 
last  days  under  his  immediate  care  ; and  departed  in  1846,  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
eight.  tier  brother  Colonel  Kemper  survived- her  one  year,  and  died  at  New 
Brunswick,  N.  J.,  August,  1847,  at  the  age  of  ninety-eight,  — the  last  of  the 
family  of  Jacob  and  Maria  Regina  Kemper,  who  emigrated  from  Caub,  in 
Germany,  A.D.  1741. 

In  1861,  the  representatives  of  the  name  in  the  United  States  are  the 
Rev.  Jackson  Kemper  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  Bishop  of  Wisconsin,  his 
sisters  and  his  children. 

The  eldest  grandson  of  Mrs.  Jackson,  Thomas  Kemper  Davis,  was  a man 
of  uncommon  talents  and  acquisitions.  He  was  born  in  Boston  in  1808,  was 
graduated  at  Harvard  University  in  1827,  and  died  at  his  father’s  residence 
in  Boston  in  1853.  The  following  tribute  to  his  memory  is  extracted  from  an 
obituary  notice  by  Edmund  Quincy : — 

“After  graduating,  he  commenced  the  study  of  the  law  in  the  office  of 
Daniel  Webster,  and  was  a most  indefatigable  and  constant  student.  He  had 
read  with  studious  attention  every  classical  author  in  the  entirety  of  his 
works.  In  Greek  he  especially  excelled,  and  the  orators  and  dramatic  au- 
thors were  his  ever-fresh  delight.  His  acquaintance  with  English  literature 
was  perfect  and  exhaustive  ; and  all  that  was  valuable  in  his  acquisitions  he 
held  in  the  grasp  of  a prodigious  memory,  always  ready  for  use.  At  a some- 
what later  period,  he  applied  himself  more  diligently  than  at  first  to  the 
studies  proper  to  his  profession.  He  shrunk  from  no  labor  that  was  necessary 
to  his  end  ; and  there  were  not  many  better  read  lawyers  of  his  standing  than 
he,  when  he  left  the  bar.  At  not  unfrequent  intervals,  during  his  severest 
studies,  Mr.  Davis  would  seek  relaxation  in  the  society  of  his  friends  ; for  lie 
was  not  one  that  refrained  ‘ when  God  sent  a cheerful  hour.’  He  was  ever 
a welcome  guest  at  convivial  parties  and  in  fashionable  circles.  With  a 


261 


mind  thus  disciplined  and  prepared  for  the  conflicts  of  the  bar  and  the  world, 
and  thus  qualified  to  enjoy  and  adorn  society,  he  approached  the  work  for 
which  he  had  been  fitting  himself  with  such  wise  industry.  He  was  just 
enjoying  the  beginning  of  professional  success,  when  he  was  overtaken  by 
an  insidious  disorder.  Watched  over  by  the  tenderest  affection,  his  later 
years  were  spent  in  his  father’s  house,  until,  suddenly  and  mercifully,  the 
cloud  that  had  so  long  darkened  his  life  was  lifted  for  ever.” 


No.  VII.  — Page  244. 

Letter  from  P.  W.  Gallaudet , Esq.,  to  Mrs.  Quincy. 

Washington,  D.C.,  8th  December,  1S40. 

Dear  Madam,  — The  short  interview  with  you  which  I had  the  pleasure 
of  enjoying  last  October  twelvemonth  brought  back  to  recollection  the  days  of 
youth  and  those  I passed  in  your  father’s  family.  The  friendship  of  your 
parents  and  of  your  brother  I highly  estimated.  But  those  scenes  have 
passed,  never  to  return  ; and  I am  now  in  my  eighty-fifth  year.  I shall  be 
happy  to  hear  from  you,  and  of  your  sister  also.  I remember  you  both  as 
two  little  girls,  Margaret  and  Susan.  With  my  respects  to  Mr.  Quincy,  with 
great  esteem, 

Yours,  P.  W.  Gallaudet. 


From  Mrs.  Quincy  to  Mr.  Gallaudet. 

Cambridge,  Mass.,  Jan.  7,  1841. 

Dear  Sir,  — It  gave  me  great  pleasure  to  receive  a proof  of  your  remem- 
brance. Your  name  was  familiar  to  me  in  my  early  youth.  My  mother 
always  spoke  of  you  as  her  confidential  friend  and  faithful  assistant,  and  im- 
pressed her  children  with  sentiments  of  high  respect  for  your  character.  My 
father,  of  whom  you  speak  in  your  letter,  I do  not  recollect.  His  death  took 
place  during  the  Revolution,  when  I was  too  young  to  retain  any  distinct 


262 


remembrance  of  him.  But  your  allusion  to  my  parents  brought  back  past 
times  to  me  in  a touching  manner ; and  I truly  reciprocate  all  your  expres- 
sions of  feeling. 

I have  many  articles  which  formerly  belonged  to  my  parents,  which  I think 
you  would  recognize.  Among  these  is  my  father’s  seal,  always  used  in  his 
counting-house.  It  is  of  silver,  with  an  ebony  handle.  The  cipher  J.  M.  is 
so  intertwined  as  to  be  somewhat  obscure.  When  you  were  in  business  with 
him,  I presume  you  often  used  it ; and  I shall  seal  this  letter  with  it,  as  you 
may  like  to  see  the  impression  once  more.  With  every  wish  for  your  happi- 
ness, 

Your  friend,  Eliza  S.  Quincy. 


Letter  from  Mr.  Gallauclet  to  Mrs.  E.  S.  Quincy. 

Washington,  D.C.,  7th  August,  1841. 

Dear  Madam,  — I return  my  best  thanks  for  your  letter,  and  expressions 
of  regard.  I was  in  your  father’s  family  from  1771  till  July,  1775,  when  I 
went  into  Colonel  John  Bayard’s  counting-house  in  Philadelphia ; then  being 
in  my  twentieth  year.  The  war  had  then  commenced  ; and  your  father,  appre- 
hending the  British  would  get  possession  of  New  York,  sent  a large  part  of 
his  stock  of  goods  to  Philadelphia,  consigned  to  Colonel  Bayard  ; and  I went 
round  also,  and  attended  the  sales.  I was  at  his  house  in  Baskinridge,  and 
saw  him  often  in  Philadelphia ; so  that  I had  frequent  personal  intercourse 
with  him  until  his  death. 

He  was  above  the  common  size  of  men,  with  a ruddy  complexion ; his 
whole  appearance  interesting,  and  commanding  much  respect.  At  that  time, 
a hair-dresser  was  employed  daily.  Your  father  wore  powder,  and  his  hair 
dressed  in  one  long  curl  round  the  back  of  the  neck,  which  had  a handsome 
appearance.  His  importations  from  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland,  were 
extensive,  and  our  customers  very  numerous.  His  store  was  unusual,  con- 
sisting of  a great  assortment  of  dry-goods,  mirrors,  frames,  pictures  from 
London,  carpets,  carpeting,  tea  in  boxes,  &c.  Besides,  he  was  extensively 
engaged  in  shipping  flaxseed  to  Ireland.  He  also  had  a storehouse  three 


263 


stories  high,  with  machinery  for  cleaning  and  preparing  flaxseed  for  exporta- 
tion. This  work  was  done  in  the  winter  season,  and  was  for  some  years 
under  my  direction.  We  received  the  seed  from  coasting  vessels,  in  a rough 
state ; cleaned  and  prepared  it  to  be  sent  abroad ; and  often  turned  out,  and 
sent  off  to  different  vessels,  one  hundred  hogsheads,  or  casks,  of  seven  bushels 
each,  in  a day,  — all  in  new  casks,  coopered  and  marked.  In  the  spring  and 
autumn,  I was  engaged  in  the  store ; yet  I found  time  for  reading  at  night. 
The  seal  of  which  you  sent  me  the  impression,  I have  taken  care  of.  I 
should  have  liked  to  have  seen  it  again,  and  the  other  articles  you  mention. 
I remained  in  Colonel  Bayard’s  counting-house  two  years,  and  then  went  into 
business  myself.  In  the  winter  of  1776-7,  I was  with  the  army  in  a volun- 
teer corps, — the  Washington  Guards  of  Philadelphia.  I had  the  happiness 
of  the  friendship  of  your  parents  through  their  lives.  I was  at  their  house  in 
Baskinridge  a few  weeks  before  your  father’s  death,  when  I saw  him  for  the 
last  time.  I continued  in  business  in  Philadelphia  until  1800,  when  I re- 
moved to  Hartford,  Connecticut,  where  my  eldest  son  commenced  the  school 
for  the  deaf  and  dumb.  With  my  best  respects  to  Mr.  Quincy, 

Your  sincere  friend, 

P.  W.  Gallatjdet. 

Mr.  Gallaudet  died  in  Washington,  D.C.,  in  1843,  aged  eighty-eight. 


No.  VIII. 

Extract  from  a Tribute  to  the  Memory  of  Mrs.  Quincy  by  Rev.  Georye  E.  Ellis , 
E.D.,  of  Charlestoivn,  Massachusetts , published  in  the  “ Christian  Exami- 
ner” for  November , 1850. 

“ So  respectful  and  affectionate  are  our  remembrances  of  this  most  excellent 
woman,  that  we  could  scarce  refrain  from  expressing  our  sense  of  them 
after  her  departure  from  the  earth,  even  if  the  many  almost  public  stations 
which  she  adorned  did  not  require  such  a commemoration  of  her.  Her  refined 


2G4 


and  dignified  features,  her  gentle  and  courteous  address,  come  up  impressively 
before  us,  and  remind  us  that  only  a most  delicate  memorial  can  befit  the 
graces  of  her  character. 

“We  recall  readily,  for  we  have  never  forgotten,  the  impression  we 
received  from  her  benevolent  greeting  and  her  friendly  words,  when  as  a 
young 'guest  we  were  first  privileged  to  see  her  in  her  own  home  at  Cam- 
bridge. Each  subsequent  interview  or  visit,  with  an  increased  ability  to 
appreciate  excellences  of  character,  and  a better  instructed  estimate  of  its 
highest'  and  most  difficult  virtues,  has  led  us  to  regard  Mrs.  Quincy  as  one 
of  the  most  admirable  examples  of  her  sex  in  every  thing  that  refines,  softens, 
and  elevates  the  best  human  sensibility,  while  natural  endowments,  and  lady- 
like graces,  and  true  Christian  acquirements,  completed  the  engaging  Avhole. 
Her  politeness  was  uniform  and  natural,  and  without  a trace  of  art.  Her 
judgments  were  always  most  kind  and  generous.  Her  interest  in  those 
who  were  brought  into  incidental  relations  with  her  made  friends  of  those  who 
would  not  have  been  slighted  if  they  had  been  left  to  be  strangers.  She  was 
in  every  respect  one  of  those  pure  and  elevated  persons,  whose  characters  and 
death  make  it  easier  for  us  to  believe  in  such  a state  beyond  the  grave  as  our 
faith  promises  to  the  good.  The  highest  test  which  we  can  apply  to  any  cha- 
racter, is  to  ask  ourselves  whether  its  translation  from  the  earth  makes  heaven 
nearer  and  more  real  to  us.  That  test  is  tried  and  commended  to  us  by  the 
decease  of  Mrs.  Quincy. 

“ Since  her  marriage  in  1797,  she  has  shared  the  public  honors  and 
responsibilities  of  her  distinguished  husband,  in  the  succession  of  eminent 
offices  which  he  has  filled  in  his  long  career  of  services  to  the  nation,  the 
State,  the  courts  of  justice,  the  chief  magistracy  of  the  city,  and  to  the  col- 
lege of  which  he  was  the  President  and  historian, — all  of  which  he  has  passed 
through  only  to  make  them  more  honorable  to  his  successors  by  his  unstained 
integrity,  and  by  his  fidelity.  How  much  aid  and  strength  he  must  have 
derived  in  many  arduous  and  anxious  labors  from  his  late  companion,  her 
own  full  sympathy  with  him  can  alone  afford  the  estimate.  During  the  six- 
teen years  of  Mr.  Quincy’s  Presidency  over  the  College,  Mrs.  Quincy  won  the 
warm  esteem  and  love  of  the  members  of  the  successive  classes,  and  was 
never  named  but  to  be  honored.” 


265 


No.  IX. 

Margaret  Morton,  born  in  New  York  in  1772,  the  only  sister  of  Mrs. 
Quincy,  resided  in  her  family  from  1800  to  1809,  when  she  returned  to  New 
York.  A woman  of  great  strength  and  activity  of  character,  she  was  ac- 
complished, fond  of  reading,  remarkable  for  industry,  and  for  her  skill  in 
embroidery.  Her  early  associates  were  among  the  most  fashionable  women 
of  the  day.  Mrs.  Henderson  of  New  York  — to  whose  daughter  Mary, 
afterwards  Mrs.  Theodore  Lyman  of  Boston,  she  stood  as  godmother  — was 
her  intimate  and  life-long  friend. 

In  1815,  Miss  Morton  married  David  Ritzemer  Bogert,  Esq.,  of  Beek- 
man, Dutchess  County,  N.  Y.,  who  in  early  life  had  resided  in  Broadway, 
near  Mrs.  Morton’s  family,  and  had  been  then  attached  to  her  daughter. 
After  an  absence  of  twenty  years,  consequent  on  his  removal  in  1795  to 
Beekman,  he  returned  to  New  York  after  the  decease  of  his  parents,  and 
renewed  his  friendship  with  Miss  Morton.  They  were  married  in  1815,  and 
resided  at  Beekman  until  1823  ; when  they  removed  to  Malta,  near  Ballston, 
N.Y.  In  both  their  places  of  residence,  they  were  much  esteemed  by  all 
their  associates.  Mrs.  Bogert  became  as  distinguished  among  the  farmers 
of  Dutchess  County,  as  an  efficient  aid  to  her  husband  in  his  agricultural 
pursuits,  as  she  had  been  in  her  youth  in  the  gay  circles  of  New  York  and 
Philadelphia.  Mr.  Bogert  was  descended  from  an  ancient  Dutch  family ; 
and  on  his  decease,  at  the  age  of  eighty  years,  he  bequeathed  the  portrait  of 
his  maternal  ancestor,  the  Rev.  David  Ritzemer  of  Albany,  to  the  Historical 
Society  of  that  city.  A number  of  valuable  books  in  the  Dutch  language  he 
gave  to  President  Qnincy,  who  presented  them  in  his  name  to  the  Library 
of  Harvard  University,  and  deposited  them  in  Gore  Hall.  His  farm  and 
property  he  bequeathed  to  his  wife,  who  passed  the  last  years  of  her  life  in  the 
family  of  her  nephew,  Charles  F.  Morton,  Esq.,  at  his  residence,  in  the  house 
at  New  Windsor  known  as  the  headquarters  of  General  Knox  during  the 
war  of  the  Revolution.*  Retaining  her  mental  powers,  her  correspondence 


* Lossing’s  “Field  Book  of  the  American  Revolution,”  p.  114. 
34 


266 


with  her  relatives  and  friends  was  remarkable  for  the  steadiness  and  clearness 
of  her  handwriting,  for  piquant  expressions  of  opinion,  and  for  anecdote. 
By  her  niece,  Mrs.  C.  F.  Morton,  Mrs.  Bogert  was  affectionately  attended ; 
and  died  after  a short  illness,  in  August,  1859,  aged  eighty-seven  years. 

John  Morton  resided  in  Philadelphia  ; and  died  there  in  1835,  seventy 
years  of  age.  Clarke  Morton,  the  youngest  brother  of  Mrs.  Quincy,  entered 
into  business  as  a merchant,  and  died  early  in  life.  Washington  Morton  was 
a man  of  uncommon  ability  and  talent ; and  was  also  distinguished  for  his 
figure  and  personal  appearance,  being  above  six  feet  in  height.  His  wife 
Cornelia  Schuyler,  a sister  of  Mrs.  Alexander  Hamilton,  was  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  women  of  her  day.  She  was  amiable  and  intelligent ; and  her 
death,  in  1807,  was  a great  calamity  to  her  family.  Her  husband  survived 
her  but  a short  time,  and  died  in  France. 

Washington  Morton  named  his  youngest  daughter  Mary  Regina,  after  his 
grandmother  Mrs.  Kemper.  As  the  widow  of  William  Starr  Miller  of  New 
York,  she  purchased  an  estate,  which  her  ancestors  in  the  Schuyler  Family 
inherited,  from  Mr.  Beekman,  the  first  proprietor,  at  Rhinebeck,  where  she 
has  erected  a Lyceum,  and  is  meritoriously  employing  her  fortune  for  the 
benefit  of  the  inhabitants.  It  is  a singular  coincidence,  that  by  the  mere 
contingencies  of  life,  without  a knowledge  of  the  fact,  such  a design  should, 
in  1861,  be  carried  into  effect  by  the  descendant  and  namesake  of  Mrs. 
Kemper,  at  the  place  where  her  brother  Mr.  Ernest  was  first  established,  and 
where  she  passed  her  first  winter  in  America,  in  1711. 


No.  X. 

* Mrs.  Anna  C.  L.  Q.  Waterston  to  Miss  Quincy , Quincy , Massachusetts. 

Caub  on  the  Eiiine,  July  7,  1857. 

My  deak  Susan,  — The  above  date  will  call  up  many  associations  to 
your  mind ; and  many,  many  arise  in  mine  as  I find  myself  writing  to  you 
from  this  old  Rhine  town,  with  which  our  existence  is  so  strangely  interwoven. 

* Mrs.  Quincy  named  one  of  her  daughters  Mary  'Sophia,  after  her  mother,  Mrs.  Morton ; and 
the  youngest  (Mrs.  Waterston),  after  her  friend  Miss  Lowell. 


267 


Here  are  the  river,  the  hills  : the  old  Castle  of  Guntenfels  frowns  above,  and 
the  Pfalz  stands  upon  the  rock  in  the  channel,  just  as  they  did  when  the 
Kemper  Family  left  Rhineland  for  what  was  almost  an  undiscovered  country. 
Helen  and  I must  be  among  the  first  direct  descendants  who  return  to  the  old 
place,  the  great  and  great-great  grandchild  of  those  who  went  to  the  New 
IForld  so  long  ago. 

After  spending  the  day  at  Oberwesel,  with  its  old  tower,  and  the  church 
which  contains  the  tombs  of  the  Schomberg  Family,  we  took  one  of  the 
sail-boats  drawn  up  on  the  riverside,  and  were  steered  towards  Caub,  which 
lay  in  the  distance.  As  our  little  boat  floated  up  the  Rhine  just  before  sun- 
set, I thought  I could  truly  imagine  that  spirits  “ twain  had  crossed  with  me.” 
The  town  is  very  picturesque  and  very  old ; yet  it  is  not  dismal  or  ruined, 
but  looks  in  good  order,  and  as  if  the  people  were  thriving.  The  mountains 
are  covered  with  vineyards  ; and  the  kitchen  gardens  lie  on  the  river-bank, 
and  seem  to  have  no  dividing  line.  The  little  inn,  or  Gausthaus,  in  which 
Mr.  TFaterston,  Helen,  and  myself  now  are,  is  neatness  itself ; and,  if 
grandmamma  revisits  her  birthplace  to-night  to  take  a spiritual  look  at  her 
descendants,  even  she  would  be  satisfied  with  the  perfect  cleanliness  of  our 
surroundings.  How  often  have  I heard  her  speak  of  the  castle  in  the  river, 
and  mamma  repeat  the  name  while  I looked  at  the  view  of  Caub  you  copied 
as  the  frontispiece  to  her  Memoir,  and  saw  in  Margaret’s  handwriting  the 
account  of  the  Kempers  leaving  the  Rhine,  in  that  interesting  story ! It  is 
difficult  to  believe  we  are  actually  here, — that  I have  come  to  a place  so 
familiar  by  long  association.  How  strangely  are  all  our  destinies  linked  in 
with  those  of  other  days,  — long,  long  passed  away. 


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